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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23215468">Broken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzyGal/pseuds/LizzyGal'>LizzyGal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Broken [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Avengers Compound, F/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Omega/Reader - Freeform, Possessive Steve, Rut Cycle, Sassy Tony Stark, Smut, dark themes, dark!Natasha, different POV, moderate fluff, more tags to come, post Age of Ultron</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:28:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>64,283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23215468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzyGal/pseuds/LizzyGal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve notices a new Omega in the office. However, there is something not quite right about her scent. </p><p>You just want to start your life over and your friend, Pepper, has given you a new home and fresh start.</p><p>Tony just wants to keep Pepper happy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Broken [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>219</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>733</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Your  smell.</p><p>It  was  the  first  thing  that  Steve  noticed  about  you  that  crappy  Tuesday  morning.</p><p>You  smelled  wrong.</p><p>He  was  distracted.  Everything  that  had  happened  in  Sokovia  had  landed  him  with  an  apocalyptic  amount  of  meetings  and  paperwork  to  last  him  a  lifetime.  </p><p>Oh,  the  paperwork.</p><p>Unable  to  do  more  than  glance  your  way  as  you  walked  past  with  Pepper,  both  of  your  Omega  scents  trailing  around  softly  behind  you,  like  autumn  leaves  bouncing  around  on  the  ground.  Pepper’s  scent  he  knew.  But  your  scent  was  off,  not  right  but  before  he  could  dedicate  more  than  a  look  over  his  shoulder,  Tony  called  his  name.</p><p>						***</p><p>The  next  time  he  noticed  you  was  a  few  days  later.  </p><p>You  were  listening  to  Tony  explain  why  you  should  side  with  him  on  his  new  proposed  budget  before  submitting  it  to  Pepper.  From  what  Steve  could  tell  based  on  Tony’s  gesturing  and  your  skeptical  expression,  you  were  doubtful.</p><p>Steve  managed  to  slide  into  the  elevator  with  the  two  of  you  before   the  doors  shut.<br/>
Again,  he  noticed  you  didn’t  smell  like  an  Omega  should  in  their  either  late  twenties  or  early  thirties.  Your  scent  was  perfectly  fine.  It  had  attracted  the  attention  of  his  inner  Alpha  immediately.  It  smelled  of  lemony  tea  and  those  shortbread  cookies  Natasha  was  always  hiding  from  him.</p><p>“Tony…I  don’t  understand  why  you  need  llamas.”</p><p>Your  use  of  his  name  instead  of  Mister  Stark  had  Steve  looking  you  over.  From  the  painful  looking  pumps  you  had  on,  to  the  knee  length  skirt  that  while  office  appropriate  was  just  this  side  of  indecent.  A  silky  button  up  blouse  completed  the  look  paired  with  a  few  pieces  of  jewelry.</p><p>“Who  doesn’t  need  llamas?”  Was  Tony’s  immediate  comeback.</p><p>Tony  looked  over  at  Steve  as  the  elevator  doors  finally  shut  and  it  went  upwards.  Dark  eyebrows  rose,  seeking  Steve’s  support  in  his  quest  for  a  new  budget.  “Am  I  right  Cap?”</p><p>“Llamas  Tony?”</p><p>His  fellow  Alpha  on  the  team  had  come  up  with  some  outrageous  ideas,  but  llamas  was  perhaps  the  most  out  there  yet.<br/>
Lifting  your  eyes  for  the  first  time  from  the  paper  since  walking  into  the  elevator,  you  looked  over  at  Tony  and  the  man  known  as  Steve  Rogers.  Not  that  you  could  mistake  him  for  anyone  else,  like  ever.  You’d  smelled  him  the  second  he  stepped  in  with  you  and  Pepper’s  Alpha.  It  would  have  been  impossible  not  to  and  yet,  nothing,  nada,  not  even  a  twinge.  Those  days  were  behind  you.  You  were  broken.  Which  was  a  shame  considering  the  moral  captain  had  been  looking  at  you  like  you  were  a  snack.  But  you  couldn’t  do  it  again.  You  greeted  Captain  Rogers  with  a  polite  smile  then  told  Tony,  as  Pepper  insisted  you  refer  to  him,  “Llamas  spit.”</p><p>Immediately  Tony  turned  to  you,  hands  up  and  pressed  together  in  front  of  him,  “My  llamas  won’t  spit.”</p><p>You  frowned  before  looking  back  down  at  his  list  of  required  inventories  for  the  coming  year.</p><p>Forget  the  llamas,  Pepper  wasn’t  going  to  give  him  half  of  this  stuff.</p><p>As  you  flipped  to  the  third  page,  Steve  noticed  your  nails.<br/>
Normally  he  wasn’t  a  fan  of  all  the  new  wild  colors  and  styles  on  nails  these  days.  Did  nails  really  need  to  be  neon  green  with  fake  crystals  all  over?  But  your  nails  had  a  professional  looking  French  manicure.  However,  the  tips  were  filed  to  a  discreet  little  tip.  Baby  stiletto  he’d  heard  Natasha  tell  Wanda  one  evening  in  the  common  room.<br/>
The  two  women  had  things  called  Pinterest  Boards  that  required  a  significant  amount  of  discussion.  While  he  didn’t  totally  understand  the  purpose,  it  seemed  to  be  something  Wanda  enjoyed  and  Natasha  found  great  amusement  in  encouraging.  </p><p>“Tony  no…Pepper  is  not  going  to  let  you  host  a  Renaissance  Festival  on  the  grounds  here…”</p><p>“Exactly!”</p><p>You  glanced  up  at  him  again,  you  knew  you  were  frowning  and  you  couldn’t  help  but  notice  that  Captain  Rogers  was  paying  more  attention  to  you  than  his  teammate.  It  wasn’t  surprising.  Your  Omega  scent  would  make  Alpha’s  take  notice  and  then,  when  they  realized  you  weren’t  putting  off  the  pheromones  you  should,  they’d  lose  interest,  he’d  realize  that  you  weren’t  putting  off  anything  that  would  promise  a  good  time.  You  didn’t  know  if  you  ever  would  again  and  were  ok  with  it.  </p><p>“If  I  put  something  that  crazy  on  the  budget,  Pepper  will  say  no,  but  she’ll  counter  and  boom…I  have  a  herd  of  llamas.”</p><p>You  couldn’t  see  your  friend  agreeing  to  that,  but  it  would  be  amusing  to  watch  in  person.  So  you  did  your  best  to  convey  your  skepticism  with  an  expression.</p><p>You  were  grateful  for  Pepper  for  giving  you  a  job  while  you  got  your  life  back  together.  </p><p>You  were  grateful  for  Tony  for  giving  you  a  room  here  in  the  Avengers  Compound  while  you  recovered.</p><p>As  the  elevator  dinged  and  then  slowed,  you  once  more  looked  back  to  Tony’s  budget  that  you  were  taking  to  Pepper.  When  the  doors  opened  you  were  mumbling  to  yourself,  wondering  exactly  how  many  llamas  constituted  a  herd.</p><p>Distracted,  you  walked  out,  having  forgotten  about  Tony  and  Steve.</p><p>Tony’s  arm  came  up  to  stop  Steve.</p><p>It  had  happened  so  fast,  was  so  abrupt,  it  brought  a  small  growl  like  noise  from  the  larger  blonde  man.  When  he  looked  his  friend’s  way,  all  traces  of  previous  amusement  and  joviality  were  gone.  It  was  momentarily  confusing.  Tony  putting  a  hand  on  him  to  stop  him  from  doing  anything  brought  out  violent  impulses  that  he  did  his  very  best  to  contain  behind  the  carefully  constructed  façade.  </p><p>Steve  paused  at  Tony’s  expression.  It  was  one  of  sadness.  It  took  him  by  surprise.</p><p>He’d  never  seen  Tony  make  that  face.</p><p>It  was  a  face  you’d  expect  to  see  at  a  funeral.</p><p>Tony  shook  his  head  and  spoke  so  softly  Steve  wouldn’t  have  heard  him  without  the  serum  in  his  veins.  </p><p>“No,  not  her.”</p><p>Then  Tony  turned,  all  but  skipped  out  of  the  elevator  calling  your  name,  shouting  that  four  llamas  would  suffice  for  now.</p><p>						***</p><p>By  the  end  of  the  day  Steve  had  found  out  your  full  name.  He  found  out  you  had  worked  in  accounting  for  nearly  a  month.  He  found  it  suspicious  that  most  of  your  personnel  file  was  blank.  He  was  downright  intrigued  to  see  that  Pepper  had  hired  you  personally  and  chalked  it  up  to  that.</p><p>For  the  better  part  of  the  next  day  between  training  and  meetings,  he’d  been  thinking  up  ways  to  get  into  accounting  for  a  visit.  </p><p>Not  that  he  couldn’t  just  go  up  there,  but  he  knew  for  a  fact  that  there  were  six  unbonded  Omega’s  up  there  and  didn’t  really  want  to  deal  with  that,  and  he  didn’t  know  you  well  enough  to  send  anything.  </p><p>Such  thoughts  were  bouncing  around  when  the  call  of  nature  made  an  appearance  with  the  growling  of  his  stomach.  It’d  been  hours  since  he’d  eaten.  Knowing  what  his  afternoon  held,  he  made  the  executive  decision  to  go  down  to  the  cafeteria  where  he  spotted  you.  Being  a  grown  man  was  the  only  thing  that  kept  his  hormones  and  Alpha  in  check  enough  to  go  get  food.  He  needed  a  plan.  </p><p>Steve  didn’t  want  to  scare  you  off.</p><p>Steve  wanted  to  scratch  this  new  itch  that  you’d  made,  he  wanted  to  peel  you  like  an  onion.  He  was  curious.  His  attention  peaked.</p><p>So  he  was  only  half  paying  attention  when  he  stacked  a  tray  with  food  and  grabbed  a  bottle  of  water.  Remembering  what  Tony  had  told  him,  he  approached  you  calmly  and  with  care  not  to  surprise  you.  Tony  had  done  little  to  quell  his  interest.  Even  his  Alpha  was  onboard  with  his  caution.</p><p>When  you  looked  up  from  your  iPad  with  your  aquarium  game,  you  cocked  an  eyebrow  at  the  sight  of  the  Alpha.</p><p>You  inner  Omega  was  quiet.</p><p>She  was  so  quiet  these  days.</p><p>Captain  America  himself  gestured  at  the  chair  across  from  you.  A  question  on  his  face  asking  if  it  was  ok.  You  appreciated  it.  You  looked  him  over  as  he  sat  a  tray  full  of  food  down  on  the  table.  He  must  have  come  from  training.  His  blonde  hair  was  damp,  there  was  a  red  flush  in  his  cheeks  and  the  khaki’s  he  had  on  with  a  basic  blue  shirt  that  brought  out  those  eyes  smelled  like  detergent.</p><p>“Please,”  you  smiled,  glad  you’d  already  polished  off  your  lunch. The  empty  soup  bowl  and  plate  evidence  that  you’d  eaten.</p><p>“I’m  Steve,”  he  greeted  before  sitting  down  and  folding  those  long  legs  of  his  underneath  the  table.</p><p>A  smirk  quirked  on  your  face.  “I  know,”  was  your  response.  His  little  smile  in  acknowledgement  of  his  celebrity  around  the  Avengers  Compound  was  surprisingly  self-deprecating.  It  made  you  introduce  yourself  then  remark,  curious  if  you  could  get  another  reaction  from  him.  “What  brings  you  all  the  way  over  here  Captain?  Did  HR  send  you?  I  promised  to  be  good  and  went  to  that  sensitivity  class.”  You  then  raised  your  right  hand  to  prove  your  sincerity.</p><p>It  was  met  with  a  cocked  eyebrow.  “I  heard  about  that,”  he  admitted,  mountain  of  food  somewhat  forgotten.</p><p>Again,  no  hints  of  pheromones  that  should  have  been  there  came  across  the  table.  </p><p>Maybe  you  were  on  some  strong  suppressants?</p><p>Steve  was  close  enough  he  should  have  picked  up  on  something.  Especially  with  the  serum  in  his  blood  which  normally  amplified  his  Alpha  nature.</p><p>With  those  nails,  you  reached  over  to  grab  a  cucumber  slice  from  his  salad,  which  you  popped  into  your  mouth.</p><p>If  he  didn’t  know  any  better,  he  would  have  said  that  you  were  long  past  your  prime,  as  old  as  him  at  heart.  The  submissive  nature  that  Omega’s  had  wasn’t  present  anywhere  in  your  posture.  Obviously  though,  you  weren’t  a  Beta.  </p><p>Shockingly  blue  eyes  watched  your  mouth  and  not  just  because  of  your  lipstick,  a  red<br/>
that  was  downright  nostalgic  for  him.</p><p>Before  he  knew  it,  words  came  out,  “Let  me  take  you  to  dinner.”</p><p>Your  red  lips  curled,  “No.”</p><p>So  transfixed  by  your  lips  he  was  only  barely  paying  attention,  “No?”</p><p>“I  don’t  date,”  you  told  him.</p><p>An  adorable  scowl  came  over  his  face.  Steve  considered  your  words,  “What  do  you  mean  you  don’t  date?  Why  don’t  you  date?”</p><p>Your  Omega  may  have  been  out  on  strike  but  that  didn’t  mean  your  need  to  please  was  gone.  Just  hearing  his  words  was  enough  to  make  you  smile.  He  wasn’t  using  that  Tone.  He  wasn’t  being  demanding.  But  the  need  to  submit  to  an  alpha  Steve’s  size  was  ingrained  in  a  primal  level  so  deep  all  of  you  felt  it.  And  while  you  wouldn’t  tell  some  man  you  just  met,  even  Steve  Rogers,  why.  You  couldn’t  go  there.  You  wanted  to  tell  him  something  and  a  downright  panicky  Tony  had  just  wandered  into  the  cafeteria.</p><p>There  was  not  a  doubt  in  your  mind  that  he’d  shoo  you  off.</p><p>You  wouldn’t  have  to  stay  around  the  delightful  Steve  whom  was  growing  on  you.  A  little  part  of  you  became  interested  in  a  way  you  didn’t  think  you  were  capable  anymore.  Much  like  a  three-legged  cat  noticing  a  fat  mouse  in  the  house.</p><p>“Bad  breakup,”  was  your  response.</p><p>Steve’s  gaze  narrowed,  “Bad  breakup?  Too  bad  for  the  time  and  place  of  your  choice?”</p><p>Oh  wasn’t  he  just  perfect?</p><p>You  rested  your  elbows  on  the  table  so  you  could  lean  forward  as  Tony  neared  closer.  “Not  even  a  cup  of  coffee  bad…”</p><p>Steve’s  jaw  twitched  as  he  took  in  your  words.</p><p>His  eyes  never  left  yours  and  you  knew  Tony  was  wrong.  He  was  not  at  all  America’s  Golden  Boy.  There  was  something  particularly  dark  about  Steve  Rogers.  You  knew  this  because  you  were  in  a  similar  place  of  your  own.  It  was  a  different  dark  but  you  could  see  it  in  him.  He  wasn’t  broken  anymore.  But  his  pieces  didn’t  match  up  anymore  either.  The  Alpha  across  the  table  from  you  wasn’t  the  one  you  saw  on  the  news  from  the  Battle  of  New  York.  </p><p>His  mouth  opened…</p><p>Tony  appeared  at  your  table.  A  flustered  smile  on  his  face  as  he  practically  shouted  your  name,  making  Steve  jump  then  frown  and  then  scowl.  Clearly  irritated  Tony  had  got  the  better  of  him  and  then  interrupted.</p><p>“Pepper  needs  you  to  look  over  some  papers,”  Tony  pointedly  told  you.  It  was  a  lie.  Pepper  was  in  Seattle  for  business.  In fact  you  were  almost  positive  that  Steve  too  knew  it  was  a  lie.  You  were  however  grateful  and  after  grabbing  your  iPad,  you  stood  gave  Steve  a  little  wave  before  touching  Tony’s  arm  and  walking  off.  </p><p>You  didn’t  date.</p><p>It  was  set  in  stone.</p><p>It  didn’t  matter  who.  You  wouldn’t  date.  You  couldn’t,  not  again.</p><p>						***</p><p>Tony  just  barely  waited  until  you’d  left  the  cafeteria  before  sliding  into  your  still  warm  chair  and  hissing  at  his  team  leader,  pointing  emphatically.  “I  told  you  no!  No!”</p><p>Steve’s  eyes  went  wide  in  shock  then  annoyance.</p><p>“What  do  you  mean  no?”</p><p>Tony  bristled  and  nearly  came  out  of  his  seat.  “No  Cap!  I  mean  it!  I  promised  Pepper  that  I’d  look  after  her  and  not  let  anything  happen  to  her  again.”<br/>
Steve  fought  the  urge  to  yank  Tony  across  the  table  as  the  desire  to  hear  more  took  precedence.  Oh  both  urges  were  strong.  He  licked  his  lips.  Another  grumble  came  from  him  that  could  have  been  a  growl  or  his  stomach.  Either  way,  it  didn’t  matter.  “What  do  you  mean?”</p><p>Not  even  attempting  to  be  subtle,  Tony  looked  around  to  see  if  anyone  was  paying  attention  to  him.</p><p>Steve  didn’t  care  and  leaned  forward.</p><p>“Ok…look…”  Tony  leaned  forward,  grabbing  a  cherry  tomato  from  Steve’s  tray.  “She’s  been  at  our  penthouse  for  the  past  six  months  and  is  finally  getting  back  to  a  new normal.  Pepper  thought  this  would  be  a  good  place  for  her  to  ease  back  into  things.  I  don’t  need  you  getting  attached  to  her,  she  isn’t…well.”</p><p>None  of  that  was  useful  information  for  Steve.</p><p>“What  do  you  mean  she’s  not  well?”</p><p>Tony  frowned,  he  popped  the  veggie  in  his  mouth  and  then  rested  his  chin  on  his  palm  and  pondered  just  how  much  he  wanted  to  tell  Steve.<br/>
Impatiently  Steve  clenched  his  jaw.</p><p>“Ok…look…remember  that  Hydra  safehouse  raid  Natasha  took  Wanda  and  Sam  on  last  year?  The  one  where  that  scientists  wife  was  being  held?”</p><p>“Ok,”  was  Steve’s  answer  as  he  thought  back.<br/>
Nothing  stood  out.  If  something  terrible  had  happened  it  would  have,  but  with  Nat  in  charge  he  wasn’t  too  surprised  it  wasn’t  on  his  radar.  But  then…then  something  sort  of  needled  him.  His  eyes  went  up  as  he  tried  to  remember,  “Wait…that  geneticist?  The  one  who  escaped  but  Hydra  took  the  wife  from  their  home?”</p><p>Tony  made  finger-quotes  at  that  last  bit.  He  also  rolled  his  eyes  letting  Steve  know  who’s  side  he  was  on.</p><p>It  then  dawned  on  Steve.  He  looked  at  the  way  you’d  left  but  you  were  long  gone.  “Wait…her?”</p><p>Impatiently  Tony  nodded,  “Yeah.  They  had  her  for  a  week  so  she  was  pretty  banged  up  and  when  she  was  released  from  the  hospital,  Pepper  brought  her  back  to  our  penthouse.  They  holed  up  in  the  walk-in  in  our  master  bedroom  and  made  a  nest.  For  weeks  they  just  cried  and  whined  in  there,  it  drove  me  crazy  Cap.  Pepper  only  left  her  side  to  work.  Otherwise,  she  was  in  the  closet  too.  I  don’t  know  if  it’s  even  possible  to  die  from  a  broken  heart,  but,  I’m  shocked  she  didn’t.”</p><p>Quietly  Steve  took  all  of  that  in.</p><p>Tony  had  been  angry  and  as  a  result  it  all  just  sort  of  tumbled  out.  Tony  wasn’t  done  though,  his  voice  went  intentionally  lower.  “And  the  soon  to  be  ex-husband,  he  didn’t  just  escape.  He  let  Hydra  take  her.”</p><p>Blonde  eyebrows  rose  in  surprised  disbelief.</p><p>“I’m  not  judging  him  or  anything.  But  what  sort  of  an  Alpha  jumps  out  a  second  story  window  to  get  away  when  their  Omega  is  in  danger?  I  mean…if  I  woke  up  in  bed  to  Pepper  fighting  with  masked  men,  I  wouldn’t  jump  out  the  window.  But  that’s  just  me  personally.”</p><p>Those  eyebrows  rose  higher.  Steve’s  scent  grew  stronger  making  Tony’s  own  Alpha  take  extra  notice.  You  were  someone  that  Tony  looked  after,  protected,  felt  an  affection  towards  as  Pepper’s  friend,  as  if  you  were  Pepper’s  sister.  As  Steve’s  outrage  grew  Tony  pointed  with  his  free  hand  to  take  his  point  home  past  third  base.  “Which  is  exactly  why  you  need  to  leave  her  alone.  She’s  still  getting  better  but  somethings  can’t  be  fixed.  Her  Omega  side  took  a  hit  and  the  doctors  don’t  know  if  she’ll  ever  get  back  to  where  she  was  before…and  I  see  how  you  look  at  children.  So  just…don’t.  No.”</p><p>						***</p><p>“Alright  guys…I’m  serious…you  brought  this  upon  yourselves…”</p><p>Tony’s  voice  boomed  through  the  large  elevated  lecture  room  which  doubled  as  an  inhouse  theater.  </p><p>Pepper’s  bondmate  stood  down  at  the  podium  holding  a  long  pointer.  He  gestured  at  various  different  colored  bins  on  the  stage.  Behind  him  was  a  movie  sized  PowerPoint  presentation.</p><p>You  regretted  everything.</p><p>“I  gave  up  a  deep  tissue  massage  appointment  for  this,”  Natasha  grumbled  from  the  row  in  front  of  you.  “I’m  so  keying  Stark’s  car.”<br/>
It  had  been  a  couple  days  since  Steve  had  sat  with  you  in  the  cafeteria  and  you  couldn’t  get  his  eyes  out  of  your  head.   Those  looks  he  sent  you.   The  way  he  spoke  to  you.  </p><p>Up  on  the  wall  the  slide  changed  to  one  announcing,  COMPOSTIBLES  VS  RECYCLABLES.</p><p>Groans  came  from  all  around  the  room.</p><p>You  sagged  down  in  your  uncomfortable  chair  wishing  you’d  brought  a  snack.<br/>
Movement  from  beside  you  caught  your  attention  as  someone  plopped  into  the  seat  next  to  yours.  A  whiff  of  leather  and  spicy  warm  cinnamon  with  vanilla  told  you  who  it  was  before  you  looked.</p><p>Captain  Steve  Rogers.</p><p>You  looked  at  him,  refusing  to  move  as  he  attempted  to  make  himself  comfortable  in  the  lecture  chair.  It  wasn’t  you  being  obstinate,  or  even  bucking  up  against  the  alpha  beside  you  oozing  off  body  chemicals  that  you  wanted  to  revel  in,  rub  up  against  him  to  get  all  over  you.  As  it  was  they  made  you  feel  cozy,  like  you  were  in  your  room  all  snuggled  in  for  the  night.  By  God,  he  was  just  that  distracting.  </p><p>In  Steve’s  outstretched  hand  was  a  bottle  of  water.</p><p>You  looked  at  it  then  at  him  as  Tony  slapped  his  pointer  at  the  yellow  bin  on  stage  with  him.</p><p>You  made  no  move  to  take  the  bottle.</p><p>Instead  you  just  looked  at  Steve.  Were  there  any  strings  attached  to  this  bottle?  He’d  made  his  interest  in  you  very  obvious.</p><p>“Take  it.”</p><p>Oh  this  was  dangerous,  you  knew  it  was  very  much  attached  to  many  strings.  But  his  voice,  his  hands,  those  thick  arms.  It  made  you  want  things  and  that  feeling  alone  sent  a  wave  of  revulsion  through  your  stomach  at  being  so  vulnerable.  So  stupid.</p><p>“What  do  you  want?”</p><p>You  were  so  distracted  you  didn’t  hear  the  heckler  shouting  from  the  other  side  of  the  room  at  Tony.  Or  even  seem  to  care  what  Tony  shouted  back  at  Clint.</p><p>“What  do  you  think  I  want?”</p><p>You  licked  your  lips  and  suddenly  felt  Steve’s  leg  brush  your  own.</p><p>Again,  you  didn’t  move,  you  weren’t  going  to  cower  from  him.  You  instead  wanted  to  soak  up  his  warmth,  the  feel  of  contact  with  another  person.  You  felt  so  alone.</p><p>You  knew  what  he  wanted,  it  was  what  all  Alphas  wanted.  He  wanted  something  you  couldn’t  give  him.  So  you  went  with  the  safest  response.  “You  want  to  be  my  friend?”</p><p>“No.  I  have  enough  friends,”  Steve  told  you,  hardly  noticing  the  cock  of  Natasha’s  head  from  the  row  of  seats  that  touched  his  knees.  Steve  leaned  closer  to  you  ever  so  slightly.  To  anyone  looking  it  would  have  been  innocent,  harmless.  To  you  it  was  not.  Your  heart  pounded  as  he  came  closer  as  he  tested  boundaries,  tested  to  see  what  was  ok,  what  wasn’t  ok.</p><p>Steve  watched  your  eyes  watch  him.  He  hadn’t  leaned  too  close  but  it  was  enough  for  him  to  get  a  baseline.  He  didn’t  want  to  stress  you.  He  couldn’t  feel  you  grow  anxious,  your  body  didn’t  react  nor  did  your  Omega.  Your  Omega  was  silent.</p><p>It  was  then  you  came  to  realize  that  water  bottle  was  another  test.</p><p>Would  you  take  it?  Would  you  question  his  motives?  Was  it  ok  to  give  you  something?  How  would  you  react?</p><p>You  took  the  bottle.</p><p>Steve  was  pleased.  No,  he  didn’t  want  to  be  friends.  He’d  spent  days  thinking  about  what  Tony  had  told  him.  He  read  over  Natasha’s  mission  report  from  last  year.  It  kept  him  up  all  night.  Your  little  smirk.  Every  bit  of  skin  that  you  kept  hidden  he  wanted  to  see.  He  wanted  to  run  his  fingers  through  your  hair.  He  wanted  to  have  your  attention  on  him  for  hours,  just  on  him.  Making  him  feel  like  the  only  person  in  the  world  like  you  made  him  feel  in  the  cafeteria.  He  didn’t  need  to  take  you  on  dates  to  make  you  his  and  his  alone.  </p><p>Steve  shifted  in  the  small  seat  and  his  elbow  touched  you.  </p><p>You  flinched.</p><p>It  was  instinctive.  You  didn’t  mean  to,  you  didn’t  want  to.  Your  cheeks  flushed  red  as  an  embarrassed  heat  spread  through  you.  Before  you  even  realized  it,  your  arms  were  hugged  to  your  chest,  your  legs  crossed  with  knees  pointing  away  from  him.</p><p>Had  Tony  touched  you?</p><p>Steve  tried  to  remember.</p><p>“Thank  you…for  the  water,”  you  managed  to  get  out,  eyes  focused  entirely  on  the  seat  in  front  of  you.</p><p>						***</p><p>“There’s  gotta  be  a  dead  fish  somewhere  in  the  kitchen.  We’ll  go  down  there  first  and  look  around,  then  we’ll  go  to  the  garage  and  find  Stark’s  car,”  Clint  murmured  mere  inches  away  as  yet  three  more  people  got  into  the  elevator,  making  it  your  own  personal  hell.</p><p>When  you  had  gotten  in,  you’d  been  one  of  a  handful  and  now  there  were  entirely  too  many.</p><p>There  were  so  many  people  you  could  just  barely  make  out  the  button  panel.</p><p>All  these  bodies  were  too  many,  too  close.</p><p>You  weren’t  claustrophobic.  You  just  didn’t  like  to  be  touched.  You  especially  didn’t  like  to  be  touched  by  people  you  didn’t  know.</p><p>Someone  bumped  into  you,  sending  you  stepping  back  into  the  corner  in  the  hopes  that  you  could  fit  snugly  back  there  and  not  be  brushed  up  against.  Of  course  now  you  could  feel  your  Omega  bristle.  Now  she  was  unhappy.  It  was  entirely  too  hot.  There  were  far  too  many  smells.  Someone  stepped  on  your  shoe  and  you  nearly  snapped  at  them  for  the  offense.  </p><p>“At  the  very  least  we  can  grab  some  cheese  or  some  meat  from  the  freezer,”  Natasha  helpfully  suggested.</p><p>Distantly  you  thought  you  heard  someone  greet  Captain  Rogers.  </p><p>That  died  a  million  fiery  deaths  when  Neil  from  marketing  stumbled  into  you,  his  hand  grabbed  your  arm,  fingers  wrapped  around  your  bicep  as  he  attempted  to  not  fall  in  the  small  space.</p><p>Immediately  you  recoiled  and,  in  an  attempt  to  get  free  from  his  clumsy  grip  as  he  steadied  himself,  you  managed  to  fall  back  against  a  solid  brick  wall.  Neil’s  hand  was  gone.  A  yelp  came  from  him  as  the  smell  of  cinnamon  and  vanilla  was  back.  </p><p>“Careful  Neil,”  came  Steve’s  professional  yet  assertive  voice.  “The  elevators  packed.  One  wrong  move  and  you’ll  knock  us  down  like  bowling  pins.”</p><p>Neil  laughed  good  naturedly.</p><p>You  were  in  hell,  trapped  between  the  two  of  them,  up  until  Steve’s  breath  warmed  the  shell  of  your  ear.  “Get  behind  me.”</p><p>At  first  you  didn’t  understand.  </p><p>When  you  looked  and  saw  a  good  bit  of  space  between  his  massive  frame  and  the  metal  wall  of  the  elevator,  you  quickly  slid  into  that  space.  Your  heart  pounded,  skin  cool  and  slick  from  the  sudden  terror  of  hands  on  you  that  didn’t  belong  there.  Your  Omega  still  wasn’t  happy.  But  she  was  less  unhappy.  If  that  was  even  possible  and  as  you  stood  there,  between  Steve  and  the  back  of  the  elevator,  you  noticed  he  ever  so  subtly  shifted  his  weight  forward,  widened  his  legs.  It  took  you  a  moment  to  figure  out  just  what  he  was  doing,  but,  then  you  noticed  people  move  slightly  away,  giving  you  both  more  space.</p><p>A  heartbeat  later,  you  let  out  an  exhale  and  didn’t  even  realize  your  fingertips  rested  on  the  small  of  Steve’s  back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh  look  at  those  flowers…”  Pepper  beamed  as  she  strolled  into  your  office.  A  bag  of  takeout  was  on  her  arm  and  she  looked  impeccably  dressed  as  always.  She  set  the  bag  of  food  on  your  desk  then  leaned  over  to  smell  the  pink  and  white  peonies,  a  favorite  of  yours  which  she  knew.</p>
<p>All  you  could  do  was  smile.</p>
<p>You  did  hop  up  to  open  that  bag  from  the  sandwich  shop  in  the  city.<br/>“Who  sent  them?  Wait…”  Pepper  lifted  her  head,  turned  it  to  the  side  and  you  hesitated.  You  knew  she’d  smell  it.  Leather,  creamy  vanilla  and  spicy  cinnamon,  it  was  impossible  not  to  smell  it  in  your  office.  “Do  I  smell  Steve?”</p>
<p>You  couldn’t  hide  the  smirk  on  your  face.</p>
<p>“I  think  he’s  been  napping  in  here.  Trying  to  acclimate  me  to  his  scent.”</p>
<p>Peppers  blue  eyes  narrowed.</p>
<p>“Don’t  worry  about  it.  He’ll  lose  interest  when  he  finds  out  I  sleep  in  a  closet.  How  was  the  ride  in  from  the  city?  You  got  here  early,  was  there  no  traffic  or  did  you  fly  in?”</p>
<p>Pepper  wasn’t  falling  for  that.  Being  Tony’s  Omega  made  her  a  pro  at  sensing  deflection.  When  she  plopped  down  in  one  of  the  two  chairs  in  front  of  your  desk,  she  crossed  her  arms  and  cocked  an  eyebrow.  “Has  Tony  spoken  with  him?  Did  Steve  send  those  flowers?”</p>
<p>You  emptied  the  paper  sack  onto  your  desk.  Your  eyes  briefly  flickered  over  at  the  peonies  before  the  food  again.  “He  has  and  he’s  even  been  going  to  the  gym  with  me  to  make  sure  I’m  not  bothered.”</p>
<p>Pepper  seemed  impressed,  “You  got  Tony  to  go  to  the  gym?”</p>
<p>You  tried  hard  not  to  laugh.</p>
<p>After  you  handed  Pepper  the  tuna  melt,  you  took  the  rueben  and  sat  down,  snagging  a  can  of  coke  before  your  bottom  hit  your  chair.  “Tony  has  been  very  busy  in  the  week  you’ve  been  gone.  He’s  been  changing  the  code  to  the  elevator  for  the  top  floors  so  often  he’s  been  forgetting  it  in  an  attempt  to  maintain  his  shining  white  knight  status.  You  should  be  proud.  The  amount  of  fires  in  his  lab  has  been  cut  in  half.”</p>
<p>Slowly  Pepper  began  to  unwrap  her  sandwich.  “You  should  steer  clear  of  Steve  though.  He  is  a  very  intense  person.”</p>
<p>You’d  figured  that  out  every  day  that  week  when  you’d  stepped  in  your  office  smelling  him.  When  you  had  found  the  little  items  he’d  left  on  your  desk.  Snacks,  flowers,  a  box  of  tea,  a  book  you’d  flipped  through  when  you’d  gone  into  town  with  Tony  to  a  bookstore  which  had  perhaps  been  your  personal  favorite.<br/>Several  times  you’d  found  yourself  in  the  elevator  with  him  that  week  and  found  your  heart  pounded  violently  when  he  stood  beside  you,  just  stood  beside  you,  that  was  it,  but  it  somehow  felt  like  more.</p>
<p>Several  times  he’d  joined  you  in  the  cafeteria  and  the  café  at  the  compound.</p>
<p>He’s  never  been  pushy,  he’d  never  intimidated  you.  But  he  had  made  it  clear  that  he  was  there  and  he  had  staying  power.  You  found  that  amusing.  You  sort  of  appreciated  it.  It  made  you  feel  special  in  a  way  you  hadn’t  felt  in  a  while.  </p>
<p>“Don’t  worry.  Captain  Rogers  will  lose  interest.  There’s  a  new  Omega  working  in  the  café.  Did  you  get  pickles?”</p>
<p>“Of  course  I  got  pickles,”  Pepper  informed  you,  leaning  forward,  half  her  sandwich  in  hand  as  she  lifted  a  white  box  that  she  slid  your  way.  “Steve  doesn’t  lose  interest  in  anything.  He’s  still  sequentially  working  his  way  through  movies  from  the  sixties.  And  really?  Captain  Rogers?”</p>
<p>You  made  a  grabby  hand  for  the  pickle  box.</p>
<p>You  decided  not  to  tell  her  the  other  names  you’d  been  referring  to  him  as.  Especially  not  when  her  phone  chirped  with  Tony’s  designated  ringtone.  With  a  roll  of  her  eyes  she  tugged  it  from  her  grey  slacks  and  then  sighed  after  reading  his  text.  “That  man…I  swear…”</p>
<p>You  smirked  so  hard  it  made  your  cheeks  hurt.  “He’ll  be  hitting  his  special  time  soon.”</p>
<p>Everyone  could  smell  the  change  in  Tony  as  he  neared  his  rut.  He’d  been  in  his  workshop  longer  than  usual.  He’d  been  moodier,  hungrier,  perhaps  even  needier  if  that  were  possible.</p>
<p>She  made  a  noise  of  agreement.  “He  sent  pictures…I’m  a  lucky  woman.”</p>
<p>Her  phone  was  placed  on  your  desk,  face  down  for  which  you  were  grateful,  then  she  sat  back  in  the  chair.  You  could  see  the  blush  on  Pepper’s  face,  on  her  neck.  You  knew  that  was  just  how  she  and  Tony  were  and  while  you  adored  the  two  of  them,  you  were  a  wee  bit  jealous,  only  a  teeny  tiny  wee  bit,  but  it  was  there.  You  were  an  Omega.  It  was  in  your  genetic  makeup  to  crave  companionship.  Granted  your  Omega  hadn’t  made  much  of  an  appearance  all  day.  Not  even  for  lunch.  Somethings  were  just  ingrained  deep  into  your  nature.</p>
<p>						***</p>
<p>After  Pepper  left  you  washed  your  hands  and  then  went  back  to  work  for  a  few  hours.  </p>
<p>You  weren’t  sure  how  long  it  had  been,  but,  you  both  heard  and  felt  your  chair  buzz  against  your  ankle.  Which  made  you  pause  and  glance  up  from  your  computer  to  see  what  was  wrong.  </p>
<p>Why  was  your  purse  buzzing?</p>
<p>You  leaned  down  to  dig  around  for  the  source  of  the  buzzing.  When  your  fingers  touched  your  iPhone,  you  tugged  it  out.  An  unknown  number  flashed  on  the  screen.  A  feeling  twisted  in  your  stomach  that  had  nothing  to  do  with  lunch.</p>
<p>You  looked  at  the  flowers  on  your  desk,  catching  the  afternoon  sun  and  knew  who  was  calling.</p>
<p>While  you  didn’t  answer  the  phone,  you  did  put  it  on  your  desk.</p>
<p>Then  you  got  back  to  the  email  you  were  typing.</p>
<p>Almost  as  soon  as  your  phone  stopped  ringing,  it  dinged  with  a  text.</p>
<p>You  finished  typing  the  sentence  before  peering  down  to  see  what  the  text  said.</p>
<p>-It’s  me.  What  are  you  doing?-</p>
<p>Because  Steve  would  send  grammatically  correct  text  messages.</p>
<p>Before  you  knew  it,  you  had  unlocked  your  phone  and  sent  one  right  back.  </p>
<p>=Working=</p>
<p>You  had  just  set  your  phone  down  and  looked  back  to  your  computer  when  again,  your  phone  dinged.</p>
<p>Pepper's  words  rang  through  your  head.</p>
<p>Yet  you  peered  down  at  the  phone,  email  forgotten.</p>
<p>-Come  have  coffee  with  me.-</p>
<p>It  wasn’t  that  important  of  an  email  and  no  one  would  care  if  you  took  a  break.  Still  you  found  yourself  hesitating.  It  was  just  coffee.  It  was  no  big  deal.  After  a  week  of  Steve  allegedly  stumbling  upon  you  in  the  café,  joining  him  shouldn’t  have  been  anything  to  think  twice  over.  More  irritated  with  yourself  than  anything,  you  snatched  the  phone  from  your  desk  and  quickly  tapped  up  a  message.</p>
<p>=You  can  do  better  than  that  captain  rogers=</p>
<p>There,  now  you  could  focus  on  your  email.</p>
<p>Not  that  you  didn’t  send  your  phone  a  significant  amount  of  side-eye  when  it  chirped  again.  However,  you  were  strong,  you  finished  off  your  email  before  you  checked  your  phone.</p>
<p>-Make  dinner  for  two.  I’m  getting  upstairs  into  your  apartment  tonight.-</p>
<p>Your  eyes  went  wide.</p>
<p>Well  that  had  escalated  quickly.</p>
<p>Your  phone  chimed  again  with  another  text  from  him.</p>
<p>-Stop  calling  me  Captain  Rogers.-</p>
<p>You  needed  to  do  something.  The  last  thing  you  needed  was  Steve  Rogers  up  in  your  space,  stinking  it  up  and  touching  your  stuff.  It  would  give  him  the  totally  wrong  idea  about  the  two  of  you,  of  which  there  was  not.  </p>
<p>=What  r  u  going  2  do?  Climb  the  freakin  elevator  shaft?=</p>
<p>You  just  couldn’t  with  yourself  either.</p>
<p>You  needed  to  complete  the  old  lady  circle  and  become  a  spinster,  adopt  like  nine  cats,  knit  even  more  than  you  usually  did  and  invest  in  some  sparkly  clothing.  God  knew  you  stayed  in  more  than  enough  watching  ‘Murder,  She  Wrote’  knitting  while  drinking  your  weight  in  hot  tea.  Maybe  you  could  have  Tony  train  your  cats  to  ride  his  llamas  at  the  next  big  Avengers  battle.</p>
<p>-Don’t  sass  me.-</p>
<p>You  bit  your  lip  then  instantly  regretted  it  for  fear  you’d  smeared  your  lipstick.</p>
<p>Now  was  your  chance  to  stop  replying  and  get  back  to  work.</p>
<p>While  Tony  and  Pepper  were  having  their  special  time  together,  you  and  Happy  and  a  handful  of  other  employees  were  shouldering  Pepper’s  workload.  So  you  really  did  need  to  get  back  to  the  emails.  </p>
<p>=Ur  not  the  boss  of  me=</p>
<p>=U  should  go  have  dinner  with  ur  #1  fan  from  the  café  instead=</p>
<p>You  didn’t  even  get  a  chance  to  put  down  your  phone  before  you  saw  three  dots  indicating  he  was  already  texting  back  a  response.</p>
<p>Someone said  your  name.</p>
<p>You  shrieked.  Your  phone  fumbled  in  your  hands  before  winding  up  on  the  floor.  When  you  looked  up  you  were  greeted  to  the  sight  of  Sam  standing  in  your  doorway  with  a  cocked  eyebrow.  In  his  hand  was  his  most  recent  mission  expense  report.  As  usual  he  was  early  and  he’d  brought  it  by  in  person,  not  just  shoving  it  in  your  box  out  in  the  front  area  of  the  office  like  everyone  else.</p>
<p>After  that  you  turned  your  phone  off.</p>
<p>						***</p>
<p>Steve  spent  the  rest  of  his  afternoon  training  and  was  glad  for  the  physical  activity.</p>
<p>You  were  driving  him  crazy.</p>
<p>It  wasn’t  so  much  your  scent.  Oh  sure,  that  was  pleasant  enough.  Not  as  overpowering  as  the  young  fertile  Omega  that  had  just  begun  working  downstairs  in  the  café.  Both  Sam  and  Natasha  had  been  spending  more  time  than  was  appropriate  down  there  when  they  got  the  chance.  Had  Steve  not  been  distracted  by  you,  he  probably  would  have  said  something.</p>
<p>As  it  was,  whenever  he  heard  heels  soundly  hit  a  hard  floor  he’d  look  to  see  if  it  was  you.</p>
<p>His  Alpha  half  wanted  to  go  see  what  was  so  interesting  about  that  Omega  in  the  café.  But  then,  then  he’d  see  you  go  by  with  Tony  in  one  of  your  little  outfits  that  made  him  uncomfortably  aroused  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  The  way  you  looked  at  him  and  spoke  to  him  was  downright  confrontational  at  times.  Steve  wanted  nothing  more  than  to  argue  with  you  until  the  sun  burnt  out.  When  you’d  look  at  him  with  those  soulful  eyes  of  yours,  the  Omega  clearly  desperate  for  connection  and  comfort  with  an  Alpha  again,  those  were  the  moments  when  he  wanted  to  break  you  open.</p>
<p>The  way  you  had  touched  him  in  the  elevator  after  Tony’s  scathing  lecture  on  recyclables  was  seared  into  his  memory.  Your  fingers  had  practically  burnt  him.  Your  touches  had  been  so  soft,  so  delicate.  Steve  was  positive  you  hadn’t  realized  you  were  even  touching  him.  It  set  his  hackles  on  edge  seeing  you  so  upset.  </p>
<p>Then,  that  morning,  when  Tony  had  stepped  into  the  briefing  room  smelling  like  a  rut  and  texting  furiously  on  his  phone,  Steve  knew  that  night  was  the  night.</p>
<p>Tony  had  so  far  been  successful  in  keeping  you  from  him.</p>
<p>Not  only  had  Tony  stuck  you  up  in  Banner’s  room,  up  on  the  second  to  top  floor,  a  room  enforced  for  the  Hulk  which  meant  there  was  no  sneaking  in  to  it.  But  the  elevator  had  been  a  barrier  he  couldn’t  get  past  and  not  for  lack  of  trying.  It  required  its  own  code  that  Tony  had  been  changing  frequently,  sometimes  up  to  four  times  a  day  if  he  thought  Steve  figured  it  out.  But  the  elevator  shaft  on  the  top  three  floors  was  sealed  off.  It  had  been  made  Hulk  proof  and  he  couldn’t  find  a  way  in.  He’d  been  hard  at  work  at  it  too.</p>
<p>Yet  that  day  was  different.</p>
<p>Pepper  had  come  back  from  the  city  early.  He’d  seen  her  arrive  with  a  bag  of  takeout  all  smiles.  He  briefly  wondered  if  you  two  shopped  at  the  same  store.  You  always  looked  incredibly  well  put  together  like  Pepper.</p>
<p>Which  was  why  he  was  genuinely  surprised  to  see  you  padding   down  the  hallway  outside  your  apartment  when  he  stepped  out  of  the  elevator.  He’d  gotten  the  code  earlier  and  thanked  his  good  luck  that  Tony’d  been  too  distracted  by  Pepper  to  change  it  again.</p>
<p>Clearly  you  hadn’t  taken  his  texts  serious  before  you  turned  off  your  phone.</p>
<p>There  you  stood,  shocked  at  the  sight  of  him.  A  spoon  dangling  from  your  lips.  Your  eyes  were  wide  and  you  had  on  denim  cut  offs  with  a  baggy  black  t-shirt.  Your  messy  hair  was  piled  up  into  a  disastrous  bun  with  pieces  hanging  down.  But  he  also  noticed  the  little  things.  Like  the  toe-rings  you  had  on,  the  scars  that  were  now  visible  on  your  arms  and  legs,  without  your  makeup  you  had  freckles  across  your  nose  and  cheeks.  In  your  hand  was  something  you’d  clearly  stolen  from  Tony’s  personal  workshop.  Some  sort  of  a  small  device  that  had  a  flame  on  the  end  of  it  that  you’d  been  clicking  on  and  off  before  you  froze.</p>
<p>For  just  a  second,  Steve  hesitated.  He  almost  felt  as  if  he’d  intruded  upon  you.  Every  Alpha  instinct  in  him  screamed  to  go  to  you  and  touch  you,  wrap  his  scent  around  you  and  every  square  inch  of  your  space.  He  wanted  you.  He  wanted  to  protect  you.  He  wanted  to  curl  up  with  you,  hold  you,  smooth  his  hands  over  your  flesh  and  kiss  those  scars  he  could  finally  see.</p>
<p>Oh  he  wanted  to  do  more  too.</p>
<p>He  wanted  to  see  what  was  hidden  beneath  all  that  black  cotton  fabric.  Steve  wanted  to  pop  the  button  on  your  shorts  and  sink  his  hand  down.</p>
<p>But  not  if  you  were  looking  at  him  like  that  and  especially  not  when  you  were  holding  a  handheld  blowtorch.  </p>
<p>One  blonde  eyebrow  rose.  “Can  I  come  in?”</p>
<p>You  blinked.</p>
<p>You  clicked  off  the  torch  you’d  borrowed  from  Tony’s  workshop  to  grill  the  beef  you’d  been  preparing  for  dinner.  While  you  didn’t  absolutely  need  to  char  it.  Details  were  important  and  Tony  wouldn’t  be  looking  for  it  for  a  while.</p>
<p>Seeing  Steve  in  your  space  was  shocking.  </p>
<p>He  was  so  big.  He  smelled  amazing.  He  looked  at  you  like  you  were  a  total  snack  and  with  a  gesture,  you  motioned  for  him  to  follow  you.  You  tugged  your  bottom  lip  between  your  teeth  and  felt  a  flush  swell  through  you  starting  at  your  tummy,  up  your  neck  to  your  face.  You  just  knew  you  were  blushing.</p>
<p>Your  Omega  seemed  to  take  some  interest  when  Steve  followed  you  into  the  industrial  spartan  living  space  you  hadn’t  done  much  to  make  your  own.  </p>
<p>“Do  you  like  quesadillas?”  </p>
<p>Steve  had  no  idea  if  he  did  or  not,  “Absolutely.”</p>
<p>When  he  noticed  three  pairs  of  shoes  by  the  front  door  to  the  open  space,  he  kicked  off  his  own  shoes.</p>
<p>Steve  noted  that  the  furniture  was  mostly  the  same  as  the  furniture  in  his  room,  IKEA  special,  but  bolted  to  the  floor.  There  were  no  windows.  The  doors  were  reinforced  and  the  only  other  room  attached  to  the  small  living  room  with  combined  kitchen  area  hadn’t  been  slept  in.  When  his  eyes  fell  upon  a  closet  by  the  same  exact  couch  that  was  in  his  living  quarters,  he  froze,  blankets  and  pillows  were  in  the  small  closet.  </p>
<p>Clearly  you  spent  most  your  time  in  there  as  that  was  where  your  scent  was  strongest.</p>
<p>Steve’s  jaw  ticked.</p>
<p>He  followed  you  into  your  small  kitchen  space  though.  “What  can  I  help  with?”  </p>
<p>When  he  began  to  roll  up  the  sleeves  on  his  button  up,  you  couldn’t  help  but  notice  the  thick  muscle  of  his  wrists.  It  wasn’t  fair.  He  was  so  cruel  to  you.  The  urge  to  sink  your  teeth  into  his  warm  wrist  was  strong.</p>
<p>Since  you’d  cut  up  and  cooked  nearly  everything,  all  you  needed  to  do  was  finish  the  beef  and  then  you  could  toss  everything  on  the  tortillas  and  grill  it  on  the  stove.  So  you  touched  your  top  lip  with  the  tip  of  your  tongue.  “Why  don’t  you  get  yourself  something  to  drink?”  You  then  lifted  Tony’s  tool  and  clicked  it  on.  A  blue  flame  shot  out  making  Steve’s  eyebrows  raise.</p>
<p>“Why  don’t  I  help  you  with  that  so  you  don’t  start  a  fire?”</p>
<p>Briefly  you  considered  it  before  turning  to  the  steak  you’d  already  marinated.  “And  let  you  have  all  the  fun?  I  don’t  think  so.”</p>
<p>You  did  however  adjust  the  flame  so  you  didn’t  start  a  fire.  Because  safety  first  and  all.  You’d  never  hear  the  end  of  it  if  you  burnt  down  the  Hulk-proof  apartment.  Upon  lowering  the  flame  over  the  beef,  you  felt  something  touch  the  back  of  your  bare  neck.</p>
<p>It  made  you  jump  and  look  over  your  shoulder  at  Steve.</p>
<p>Steve  was  closer.  His  face  watched  you  but  he  didn’t  step  back,  he  didn’t  say  anything,  he  seemed  more  questioning.  The  smell  of  spicy  vanilla  overpowered  the  bloody  smell  of  beef.</p>
<p>When  you  looked  back  to  the  beef  and  you  slowly,  carefully  lowered  the  flame,  noticing  the  scorch  mark  on  the  counter   in  the  process,  you  didn’t  jump  the  next  time  Steve  touched  your  neck.  He  drug  several  fingers  along  the  space  of  skin  between  your  t-shirt  and  hairline.  Goosebumps  broke  out  over  your  flesh.  A  chill  swept  through  you  that  made  your  toes  curl.  A  little  gasp  came  from  you  that  you  hoped  was  drowned  out  by  the  torch.</p>
<p>Steve  watched  your  body  react  to  the  most  basic  touch.  When  your  toes  curled  his  khakis  became  uncomfortable.  </p>
<p>While  the  aromatic  meat  began  to  grill,  nothing  compared  to  that  lemony  smell  of  sweet  tea  that  came  off  you.  He  stepped  closer  so  you’d  feel  his  pants  against  your  bare  legs.  </p>
<p>When  you  began  to  tremble,  he  spoke  softly,  “Is  this  ok?”</p>
<p>Was  it  ok?</p>
<p>You  didn’t  know.  You  were  overwhelmed  and  your  Omega  was  getting  a  little  snappish  with  you.  A  big  part  of  you  wanted  more  contact  and  that  part  of  you  nodded.  However,  that  other  part  of  you  reminded  you  that  being  touched  was  bad,  being  touched  wound  up  with  you  being  hurt.  You  couldn’t  trust  people  to  not  hurt  you.  You  could  only  trust  yourself  to  protect  you.  Without  thinking  you  flipped  the  steak  over  with  your  hand  instead  of  the  fork  on  the  counter.</p>
<p>Steve  leaned  closer  so  his  knees  bumped  the  backs  of  your  thighs.  His  breath  warmed  your  ear  when  he  said  your  name  in  a  questioning  tone.</p>
<p>Being  that  close  to  you  allowed  him  to  really  see  your  neck  for  the  first  time.</p>
<p>It  let  him  see  that  part  of  your  neck  that  you  kept  hidden.  His  stomach  turned  at  the  sight  of  the  faded  scar  over  your  mating  gland.  The  bitemark  there  brought  out  a  surge  of  anger,  it  rolled  through  him  in  a  white-hot  heat.  His  scent  grew  more  powerful.  It  was  almost  overwhelming  and  made  you  cut  off  the  torch.</p>
<p>You  peered  at  him  over  your  shoulder  and  could  see  the  fury  on  his  face.  </p>
<p>Almost  immediately  your  hand  reached  up  to  cover  the  gland.  “Of  course  you’ve  heard…who  told?  Natasha?”</p>
<p>“Tony,”  he  ground  out,  fingers  softly  brushing  along  the  curve  of  your  neck  and  shoulder  very  near  your  mating  gland.  “He  was  hoping  it’d  scare  me  off.”</p>
<p>Ah,  yes,  you  knew  that  Tony  had  been  working  very  hard  to  chase  Steve  away.</p>
<p>Clearly  it  had  mixed  results.</p>
<p>Steve  was  here,  in  your  kitchen,  excreting  pheromones  that  let  you  know  he  was  beyond  pissed  off  and  agitated,  possibly  even  slightly  distressed  and  it  was  so  hard  for  you  to  not  turn  around  and  touch  him,  soothe  him,  do  what  was  in  your  nature  to  calm  him.  You  wanted  to  press  your  lips  up  along  his  pulse,  around  his  Adams  Apple.  You  wanted  to  soak  up  his  scent.  You  also  didn’t  want  him  to  hurt  you.  You  didn’t  want  to  feel  that  much  pain  again.  You  wouldn’t  survive  that  again.</p>
<p>Steve’s  fingers  slid  down  the  curve  of  your  shoulder  to  your  shirt.  When  he  pressed  his  mouth  to  your  shoulder  just  beside  your  bra  strap,  not  to  kiss  you,  just  to  feel  that  contact  of  your  skin  against  his,  you  flinched.  You  didn’t  pull  away.  Nor  did  you  push  him  away.  A  gasp  escaped  from  you  and  you  gripped  the  hand-tool  tightly.  The  contact  felt  hot  enough  to  burn.  </p>
<p>You  smelled  so  good.  </p>
<p>It  took  everything  in  Steve  to  not  shove  you  up  against  the  counter  and  make  your  body  shake  from  pleasure,  not  fear.  He  could  feel  how  conflicted  you  were,  smell  it  on  you.  You  trembled  against  him  but  didn’t  move  away,  you  actually  leaned  back  against  him,  desperate  for  touch.  Every  Alpha  urge  wanted  to  push  forward,  see  where  that  boundary  your  little  Omega  had  set  was  at  now.</p>
<p>Steve  didn’t  want  to  push  it.  He  had  long-term  plans.  He  had  plans  for  you  that  night.  “Let’s  go  for  a  ride  after  dinner.  I’ll  take  you  on  my  motorcycle.”</p>
<p>						***</p>
<p>A  big  band-aide  covered  your  mating  gland.</p>
<p>Steve  noticed  but  he  didn’t  say  anything,  he  was  to  glad  to  have  convinced  you  to  climb  on  the  two  wheeled  beast  in  the  garage  at  ten  at  night.  You  promised  to  meet  him  downstairs  and  he  was  half  worried  you’d  back  out.</p>
<p>Yet,  when  you  showed  up  down  in  the  garage  in  jeans,  boots  and  a  long  sleeve  shirt  with  that  bandage,  he  was  relieved.</p>
<p>You  couldn’t  count  the  times  you’d  scratched  at  your  gland  till  it  bled  in  an  attempt  to  get  it  off,  mar  the  bite  scar  from  your  soon  to  be  ex.  You  hated  looking  at  it.  You  hated  thinking  about  that  night.  It  was  bad  enough  that  you  had  the  scars  on  your  body  from  what  Hydra  had  done  to  you,  but  you  had  that  reminder  of  the  total  betrayal  of  your  previous  Alpha,  as  if  the  memories  weren’t  enough  alone.</p>
<p>Your  Omega  wasn’t  happy.  She  wanted  to  stay  inside.  She  wanted  to  be  left  alone.  She  was  already  tired  of  the  insistent  Alpha  that  was  irritating  her  with  every  visit,  with  his  smell  and  touches.  </p>
<p>She  was  starting  to  give  you  a  headache.</p>
<p>Steve  held  out  a  full  faced  helmet  to  you  and  then  shrugged  out  of  his  jacket.  You  made  a  face.  It  was  a  lovey  late  spring  night.</p>
<p>“It  gets  chilly  on  the  back  of  the  bike,”  he  assured  you.</p>
<p>You  knew  he  had  that  Super  Soldier  Serum  running  through  his  veins  so  you  kept  quiet.  You  said  nothing  about  his  lack  of  a  helmet  as  you  tugged  the  big  bulky  one  on.  You  also  stayed  silent  about  him  not  having  a  jacket  as  you  shrugged  his  on.  You  tried  not  to  think  about  how  it  smelled  like  him.  You  tried  not  to  think  about  how  you’d  need  to  change  your  panties  again  by  the  time  you  climbed  on  that  damn  motorcycle.  </p>
<p>Steve  tried  not  to  think  about  how  good  you  looked  in  his  jacket,  smelling  like  him,  marking  you  as  his  for  everyone  to  see.  He  also  was  glad  that  he’d  changed  into  jeans.  Just  the  sight  and  smell  of  you,  the  quirk  of  your  lips  when  you  pulled  the  helmet  on  was  enough  to  make  him  uncomfortable.  When  he  thought  about  the  thing’s  he  wanted  to  do  to  you,  how  he  wanted  to  sink  his  teeth  into  your  neck  to  cover  that  scar  with  his  own  bite,  how  he  wanted  to  sink  into  your  warm  lush  body,  again  he  was  getting  hard.  Every  instinct  in  him  that  urged  him  on  wanted  more,  demanded  more.</p>
<p>As  you  adjusted  the  helmet,  he  reached  forward  to  zip  his  jacket  up.</p>
<p>His  hands  clasped  the  hard  headgear  and  he  looked  into  the  mirrored  full  face  visor  he’d  grabbed  from  Natasha’s  bike.  “You  good?”</p>
<p>In  response  you  nodded.</p>
<p>You’d  never  ridden  a  motorcycle  before  and  your  heart  was  pounding  so  loud  he  had  to  have  heard  it.  Your  palms  were  sweaty.  You  were  terrified  in  a  giddy  sort  of  way.  </p>
<p>The  helmet  felt  weird  on  your  head  and  he  was  all  you  could  smell.  His  coat  was  still  warm  with  his  body  heat  and  you  relished  it.</p>
<p>Your  Omega  wasn’t  impressed.</p>
<p>As  if  learning  how  to  reset  the  security  alarm  in  your  apartment  again,  you  watched  him  closely  as  he  climbed  on  and  straddled  his  bike,  those  long  legs  easily  reached  the  ground.  When  Steve  started  the  bike  and  it  roared  to  life,  you  jumped.  It  was  so  loud  it  felt  like  it  shook  the  earth.</p>
<p>When  he  turned  to  reach  for  you,  Steve  pointed  to  a  peg  on  the  bike  where  you  should  step  and  you  noticed  that  there  was  no  backseat  rest.  You  were  going  to  have  to  hold  on.</p>
<p>Captain  America  was  a  dirty  dirty  man.</p>
<p>Those  words  came  out  of  your  mouth  as  you  reached  up  to  hold  his  shockingly  broad  shoulder  for  support,  as  you  climbed  onto  the  bike  like  it  was  Everest.  When  he  grinned  you  knew  he’d  heard  you.  Somewhat  unsteadily,  you  flung  your  leg  over  the  bike,  grabbing  hold  of  those  broad-ass  shoulders  in  the  process.  “You  better  not  drop  me.”  You  muttered  beneath  your  breath  as  you  dropped  down,  hands  still  on  his  shoulders  as  your  feet  found  those  footrests.</p>
<p>Steve  looked  back  at  you.  </p>
<p>What  he  would  have  given  to  be  able  to  look  you  in  the  eye,  to  assure  you  he’d  never  let  you  fall.  Remembering  those  scars  told  him  you’d  need  him  to  prove  it.  So  he  gave  your  knee  a  squeeze,  then  tugged  you  forward  a  few  inches  till  you  were  pressed  against  him.  He  moved  your  hands  down  off  his  shoulders  to  around  his  waist.</p>
<p>Soon  you  were  off,  into  the  dark  New  York  night.</p>
<p>						***</p>
<p>Your  Omega  was  not  happy.</p>
<p>She  wanted  to  go  home,  curl  up  in  her  nest  and  go  to  sleep  for  eight  to  twelve  hours.</p>
<p>She  did  not  want  to  cling  to  Steve  Rogers  on  the  back  of  his  vibrating  steel  beast,  whipping  along  the  curvy  roads  of  New  York,  along  the  big  river,  through  the  forest.  You  clung  to  Steve  and  rested  your  helmet  covered  face  against  his  back  and  prayed  that  the  ride  would  never  end.</p>
<p>When  eventually  Steve  pulled  off  the  road  onto  a  smaller  road  that  lead  closer  to  the  river,  you  watched  curiously.</p>
<p>Your  nails  dug  into  his  flat  taut  stomach  and  he  actually  reached  down  with  one  warm  hand  to  give  your  smaller,  chilled  hands  a  squeeze.  As  if  to  assure  you.  As  if  to  prove  he  wasn’t  a  deranged  killer  that  would  chase  you  around  the  woods  like  Freddie  Kruger.  </p>
<p>Eventually,  Steve  slowed  down  and  you  peered  around  him  to  see  the  river.</p>
<p>Steve  stopped  his  bike,  kicked  the  kickstand  down  and  then  turned  it  off  before  helping  you  climb  down.  Your  legs  were  a  little  weak  from  the  ride  and  you  tripped  before  getting  your  footing.</p>
<p>Leaving  Steve  to  his  motorcycle,  which  was  pinging  in  the  cool  night,  you  strolled  down  to  the  river  as  you  yanked  off  Natasha’s  helmet.  You’d  narrowed  down  who  it  belonged  to  on  the  ride  based  on  the  smell  of  her  shampoo.  That  new  smell  of  the  rushing  river  was  a  deliciously  fresh  surprise.  </p>
<p>You  walked  all  the  way  to  the  grassy  edge  and  plopped  down  on  your  denim  clad  bottom.  When  you  looked  up  you  could  see  a  sky  full  of  stars  and  big  bright  full  moon.</p>
<p>It  was  a  beautiful  night.</p>
<p>Granted  it  was  a  little  chilly.  You  were  glad  you  had  Steve’s  jacket.</p>
<p>Speaking  of  the  devil,  you  glanced  up  over  your  shoulder  when  he  came  to  a  stop  beside  you.  Shoving  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  looking  out  over  the  river  into  the  forest  across  it  shrouded  in  darkness.</p>
<p>You  wanted  to  say  something  memorable  about  the  beauty  of  nature,  profound  about  the  night.  You  wanted  to  thank  him  for  bringing  you  out  to  this  spot.  Sadly  you  were  not  sure  how.  You  didn’t  know  what  to  say.</p>
<p>Your  eyes  traveled  up  his  statuesque  body.  “You  can  have  a  seat  if  you  want.  I  won’t  take  advantage  of  you.”</p>
<p>Beneath  the  full  moon  you  could  make  out  an  amused  expression  on  his  face.</p>
<p>Your  gaze  returned  to  the  flowing  water.</p>
<p>From  the  corner  of  your  eye  you  could  see  him  look  around  for  a  prime  spot  to  sit. Not  surprisingly  you  didn’t  notice  till  he  plopped  down  that  he  sat  down  behind  you,  legs  wrapped  around  you,  just  like  you’d  sat  behind  him  on  the  motorcycle.  Your  Omega  was  in  no  way  happy  with  this  and  as  you  turned  to  glance  back  at  him,  you  couldn’t  help  but  make  a  face.  “Are  you  serious?”</p>
<p>“Trust  me.  You’ll  like  this,”  Steve  promised.</p>
<p>Another  skeptical  look  came  over  your  face.</p>
<p>“I  didn’t  let  you  fall  off  the  bike?  Did  I?”</p>
<p>No,  no  he  did  not.  He  was  putting  off  some  sort  of  Alpha  pheromones,  Alpha  charm,  Alpha  scent  that  seemed  to  assure  you  further.  It’d  been  so  long.  It’d  been  so  so  long.  For  just  a  second  Steve  was  afraid  you’d  make  him  move,  or  worse,  move  yourself.  He  didn’t  realize  how  worried  he  was  until  you  turned  to  face  the  river  and  leaned  back  against  his  massive  warm  chest.  “Fine…no  funny  business.”</p>
<p>His  mouth  rested  against  the  top  of  your  head  as  he  pulled  his  legs  up  to  cage  you  in.  You  took  the  opportunity  to  rest  your  arms  on  his  knees.  </p>
<p>“There  is  nothing  funny  about  what  I  want  to  do  to  you  Little  Omega.”</p>
<p>At  mention  of  Little  Omega  you  smirked,  your  nose  scrunched.</p>
<p>“Can  I  touch  you?”  Steve  asked  against  the  top  of  your  head.</p>
<p>“You’re  already  touching  me.”</p>
<p>Steve  growled.  You  wiggled  back  further  against  him.  Big  hands  fell  down  on  your  sides,  slid  down  to  your  hips,  fingers  flaring  over  your  thighs.  “This  ok?”</p>
<p>You  nodded,  stretching  back  against  him.</p>
<p>It’d  been  quite a  long  time  since  you’d  been  touched  by  a  man,  almost  a  year  actually.  The  last  person  you’d  been  with  had  been  with  your  future  ex-husband,  your  former  Alpha.  That  one  person  you’d  thought  you’d  have  forever  with  until  that  fateful  night.</p>
<p>Hands  traveled  up  to  the  front  of  your  jeans,  ripping  you  out  of  your  thoughts.</p>
<p>Those  hands  thumbed  the  button  on  your  jeans.  </p>
<p>“Is  this  ok?”</p>
<p>You  moaned  that  it  was  ok,  your  hands  gripped  his  knees.  All  thoughts  of  anything  dating  back  more  than  a  few  minutes  was  gone.</p>
<p>Steve  popped  the  button  of  your  jeans.  A  heartbeat  or  two  later  he  pulled  the  zipper  down  while  watching  you  for  any  signs  of  discomfort,  distress.  He  wanted  to  touch  you.  He  was  determined  to  make  you  come  at  least  once.  He  wanted  you  associating  his  scent  and  touch  with  pleasure.</p>
<p>He  brushed  his  fingertips  over  your  abdomen,  “Ok?”</p>
<p>Another  moan  came  from  you.</p>
<p>He  could  smell  how  aroused  you  were  and  it  was  making  him  desperate.  His  hand  flattened  on  you  and  then  slid  down  beneath  the  band  of  your  underwear.  You  didn’t  even  realize  it  when  you  opened  up  your  legs  as  wide  as  you  could,  against  his  own  that  held  strong.  Steve  pushed  his  hand  down  further  until  he  reached  what  he  sought.  You  were  wet.  You  were  so  warm  and  soft  beneath  his  fingers.  </p>
<p>Steve  groaned  against  you.  He  pressed  his  lips  against  the  top  of  your  head  as  his  fingers  slid  in  further.  His  thumb  began  to  circle  your  clit  and  you  arched  back  into  him  further.  “This  ok  Omega?”</p>
<p>Your  voice  was  a  breathy  whisper,  “Yes…”</p>
<p>His  fingers  slid  down  then  back  up,  smearing  the  slick  wetness  around  and  when  a  finger  slid  into  you,  you  fidgeted.  You  weren’t  a  virgin.  Although  you  were  definitely  feeling  everything  he  was  doing.  You  most  certainly  felt  a  snug  stretch  from  his  second  finger  he  added  as  he  continued  to  circle  your  clit  with  his  thumb.</p>
<p>“You  won’t  wear  that  bandage  much  longer.  I’m  going  to  bite  you.  You’re  going  to  wear  my  mark  and  be  mine.  You  got  that?”</p>
<p>At  that  point,  as  things  began  to  coil  up  within  you  and  you  bit  your  lip  and  closed  your  eyes,  you  probably  would  have  agreed  to  sign  up  for  the  mission  to  Mars.  Hell,  as  his  fingers  curled  inside  of  you  in  that  absolute  perfect  way  that  made  you  begin  to  see  stars,  you  would  have  volunteered  to  fly  the  damn  thing  to  Mars.  Not  that  you’d  ever  flown  anything  in  your  life.  </p>
<p>You  gasped  out.  Pointed  nails  sank  into  the  denim  of  his  jeans  and  as  you  began  to  unravel,  as  your  body  began  to  tense  up,  Steve  continued  his  stroking.  One  of  his  powerful  arms  wrapped  around  you  to  hold  you  close  to  him  as  you  came.  </p>
<p>Steve  felt  you  clench  tightly  around  his  fingers.  You  made  this  whimpering  cry  that  hit  him  hard  in  his  chest.  He  held  you  tight  against  him.  He  didn’t  even  care  when  you  bit  his  bicep.  If  you  left  a  mark,  it’d  be  gone  by  the  time  you  were  both  back  at  the  compound.  Steve  sort  of  wished  that  there  would  be  a  mark  left  behind.  As  he  watched  you  sag  against  him,  slowly  unwinding  from  your  orgasm,  Steve  easily  pulled  you  up  closer  to  him  in  his  arms.  When  his  hand  slid  out  from  your  pants  you  opened  your  eyes  and  groaned  in  protest.  Your  eyes  watched  him  slide  those  fingers  between  his  lips.</p>
<p>There  was  a  chance  that  Pepper  had  been  right.  You  began  to  suspect  that  Steve  didn’t  lose  interest  in  things  as  easily  as  you  first  thought.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>:::Nine  Days  Later:::</p><p> </p><p>One  thing  you  really  appreciated  about  Natasha  Romanoff  was  she  didn’t  lie  to  you.</p><p>Other  Avenger’s  on  the  growing  team  would  sometimes  downplay,  fudge  or  make  up  things  on  their  expense  reports  for  missions,  training  or  expenses  in  general. Never  once  had  she  told  you  that  ‘the  building  just  blew  up  on  its  own’  with  a  straight  face.  </p><p>Sometimes  she  wasn’t  very  punctual.</p><p>However,  given  the  fact  that  she’d  been  the  one  to  save  you  from  Crossbones,  you  cut  her  some  slack.  She’d  been  the  one  to  pull  you  out  of  that  Hydra  safehouse  bloody,  broken  and  not  the  same  person.</p><p>Crossbones  had  been  the  one  you  woke  up  suddenly  to  in  the  middle  of  the  night.</p><p>When  your  Bondmate  had  escaped,  he’d  dragged  you  out  of  bed  by  your  throat,  down  the  hall  and  out  of  the  place  you  once  called  home.  The  week  you’d  spent  being  terrorized  by  him  had  left  you  into  a  million  little  pieces.</p><p>If  you’d  known  anything  about  the  work  your  former  Bondmate  did,  you  would  have  given  it  up.  </p><p>Natasha  seemed  to  understand  that,  she  seemed  to  get  it.</p><p>“Can  you  give  me  a  rough  estimate  of  the  car  you  borrowed  in  order  to  pursue  the  suspected  Hydra  operative?”  You  inquired  as  you  highlighted  the  handwritten  report  and  made  a  note  on  a  pink  Post  It.  </p><p>There,  in  one  of  the  chairs  in  front  of  your  desk,  sat  Natasha,  filing  her  nails,  boots  up  on  the  corner  of  your  desk,  not  a  care  in  the  world.  Never  once  had  she  ever  attempted  to  justify  anything  in  any  of  the  reports  she  brought  you.  </p><p>“Personally  I  wouldn’t  have  paid  more  than  fifteen  Euros  for  that  piece  of  crap.  But…if  you  want  an  actual  number…let’s  call  it  twenty-five  hundred  Euro.  That  thing  had  more  rust  on  it  than  Pittsburgh.”</p><p>You  made  a  note  of  that  on  your  hot  pink  sticky  note.</p><p>You  didn’t  ask  how  the  mission  had  gone.</p><p>Steve  had  been  away  for  the  past  five  days  with  Natasha  and  Sam  looking  for  your  tormentor  and  other  Hydra  operatives.  She’d  must  have  come  down  shortly  after  getting  back  because  she  still  had  on  her  tactical  gear.  You  suspected  she  wanted  to  be  the  one  to  tell  you  they  hadn’t  had  any  luck.</p><p>You  also  suspected  that  she  wanted  to  get  all  of  last  month’s  forms  in  before  the  deadline  from  two  weeks  ago,  before  someone  said  something.</p><p>You  had  other  suspicions  of  the  Alpha  too.</p><p>Especially  when  she  shut  your  office  door  behind  her  upon  arrival.  </p><p>It  was  only  then  that  she  finally  asked  what  she  really  came  down  for.  “Have  you  remembered  anything  else?  Anything  new  pop  up?”</p><p>You  didn’t  look  up  from  her  cursive.</p><p>She  didn’t  stop  filing  her  nails.</p><p>“No…I’ve  been  having  nightmares  every  night  about  that  week  and  nothing  new.  Just  those  electric  sticks,  those  hot  metal  pokers,  his  eyes,  the  smell  of  him.  It’s  probably  a  good  thing  the  Hulk  Apartment  is  sound  proofed.”</p><p>Natasha  stopped  filing  so  she  could  inspect  her  work.</p><p>If  you  didn’t  know  better,  you  would  have  said  she  wasn’t  paying  attention.</p><p>As  you  flipped  to  the  next  page  in  her  detailed  report  on  her  adventure  in  Recife  with  Wanda,  she  filed  at  her  thumb  nail  with  exact  precision.</p><p>Someone  knocked  on  your  door  and  somewhat  distractedly  you  answered  with  a,  “No  Tony…”</p><p>The  doorknob  turned.</p><p>Natasha  rubbed  a  fingertip  over  her  thumb  nail  then  observed  it  closely.  “Is  his  rut  over?”</p><p>“Didn’t  you  hear  the  building  wide  announcement,”  you  asked  as  your  office  door  opened  enough  for  someone  to  peer  in.  </p><p>Natasha  rolled  her  eyes.  She  then  cocked  and  eyebrow  and  lifted  her  chin.  “Sup  Rogers?”</p><p>Rogers?</p><p>You  looked  up  to  see  a  blonde  head  peer  in.  Blue  eyes  looked  between  the  two  of  you  and  you  could  not  help  yourself.  “Can  I  help  you  Captain  Rogers?”</p><p>That  earned  you  a  frown.</p><p>Steve  however  looked  to  his  teammate  first,  “What  are  you  doing  in  here  Nat?  You’re    supposed  to  be  dropping  off  all  those  expense  reports.”</p><p>Natasha  gestured  at  you.</p><p>Which  then  earned  you  a  look  before  he  opened  the   door  more  to  allow  his  considerable  bulk  entry.  “I  thought  Sue  was  in  charge  of  our  expense  reports?”</p><p>“Sue  was  in  charge  until  she  told  Tony  he  couldn’t  get  any  llamas.  So  Sue  got  promoted  and  we  have  this  new  shining  ray  of  complicity.”  Natasha  then  winked  at  you  before  admiring  her  work  on  her  left  hand.  “Come  on  Rogers.  You’ve  been  up  here  on  a  semi-regular  basis  Omega  Hunting.  I  can  smell  you  all  over  this  department.  You’re  going  to  tell  me  you  haven’t  been  in  here  to  drop  off  expense  reports.”</p><p>Your  gaze  went  to  Steve.  Now  that  you  thought  back  on  it,  he’d  never  brought  any  of  his  reports  to  you.  He’d  always  shoved  them  in  the  little  box  on  the  wall  out  in  the  front.  Though  you  suspected  that  would  change  now  that  he  was  in  the  know.</p><p>Natasha  never  gave  him  a  chance  to  reply.  With  a  shrug  she’d  moved  on,  eyes  looking  over  her  other  hand,  “What  are  you  doing  up  here?”</p><p>There  wasn’t  a  doubt  in  your  mind  that  Natasha  didn’t  ask  questions  she  didn’t  know  the  answer  to.  You  internal  question  seemed  to  be  answered  when  her  knowing  green  eyes  flickered up  at  you  over  the  desk.  She  didn’t  once  look  up  at  her  fellow  Alpha  as  he  dropped  down  in  the  chair  beside  her,  or  pushed  her  feet  off  the  corner  of  your  desk.</p><p>You  however  could  not  look  away  from  him.  His  Captain  America  suit  actually.  </p><p>You  could  feel  something  coil  inside  of  you  at  the  sight  of  it,  hearing  the  heavy  material  move  with  every  step,  seeing  those  fingerless  gloves.  It  reminded  you  so  much  of  the  tactical  gear  that  the  Hydra  agents  wore.  It  shouldn’t  have  you  knew,  it  wasn’t  the  same  you  berated  yourself.  </p><p>Crossbones  had  worn  fingerless  gloves  too.</p><p>A  cold  sweat  broke  out  on  your  skin.  You  could  feel  your  stomach  roll  as  you  begin  to  tremble,  which  was  so  not  what  you  wanted  right  then.  You  did  not  need  to  have  a  significant  emotional  event  as  you’d  begun  to  call  them.</p><p>“You  ok  Mega,”  Natasha  asked  because  of  course  she  would.</p><p>Of  course  the  two  of  them  would  notice.  You  were  probably  putting  off  pheromones  of  distress,  which  was  about  the  only  ones  you  seemed  lately  to  be  exuding.</p><p>However  you  were  now  a  pro  at  hiding  your  shame.  With  a  wave  of  your  hand  you  made  a  face  at  the  two  of  them.  “You  two  are  stinking  up  my  office  and  giving  me  a  headache.  You  gotta  go.  The  both  of  you  need  to  go.”</p><p>Natasha  immediately  glared  at  Steve.</p><p>Steve  couldn’t  believe  it,  “Wait?  What?”</p><p>You  were  already  up  on  your  feet  and  over  to  the  door,  which  you  opened.  “Come  on.  Both  of  you.  I’ll  text  if  I  have  any  questions  about  anything  Agent  Romanov,”  you  said  for  the  benefit  of  nosey  ears  in  your  office.  You  were  already  whispered  about  enough  as  it  was,  the  Omega  who  smelled  like  a  grandmother.  </p><p>Natasha  stood  while  sending  you  a  highly  doubtful  look.</p><p>You  heard  your  name  called  from  out  in  the  hallway.</p><p>You  knew  by  that  voice  alone  this  wouldn’t  be  good.  You  were  so  going  to  resort  to  underhanded  tactics  the  next  time  you  saw  Tony.  You  could  not  stand  your  across  the  hall  coworker  one  minute  longer.</p><p>“Did  you  hear!  Crossbones  was  seen  in  the  city  outside  Stark  Tower!  Do  you  think  he  was  looking  for  you?”</p><p>You  literally  banged  your  face  into  your  office  door.  </p><p>“Thank  you  for  the  update  Janet…”  came  from  your  mouth.</p><p>Maybe  you’d  text  Tony  to  see  if  he  could  promote  Janet  out  of  your  department  too.</p><p>With  the  grace  of  a  ballerina,  oozing  the  smell  of  a  rainy  day  and  fresh  laundry,  Natasha  bounced  by  you.  Janet’s  name  dropped  from  her  mouth  in  a  sweetly  dangerous  tone  you  were  very  familiar  with.  </p><p>Maybe  a  text  to  Tony  wasn’t  necessary?  </p><p>Your  name  came  from  Steve’s  mouth  in  a  tone  very  close  to  THAT  Tone.  Oh  that  tone  did  things  to  you.  Your  fingers  gripped  your  office  door  as  you  pushed  it  shut.  You suspected  that  you  would  want,  definitely  need  privacy  for  whatever  was  about  to  come  out  of  Steve  next.</p><p>Steve  repeated  your  name  making  you  look  over  at  him.</p><p>He  was  still  sitting.  He  was  however  pointing  to  the  chair  across  from  you.  </p><p>You  didn’t  move.  “Can  you  take  your  gloves  off?”</p><p>That  earned  you  a  surprised  look,  but  Steve  obliged  you  and  you  found  yourself  walking  around  your  desk,  rubbing  your  tired  neck  muscles  and  finally  plopping  down  in  the  chair  Natasha  had  formerly  inhabited.  Out  of  second  nature,  you  smoothed  your  hands  over  the  skirt  of  your  dress  even  though  it  was  long  enough  that  it  just  hit  your  knees  when  you  sat  down.  Still  it  gave  your  hands  something  to  do,  something  to  focus  on.</p><p>“Steve…”  you  sighed,  unable  to  get  your  eyes  any  higher  than  that  star  smack  dab  in  the  center  of  his  chest.</p><p>Steve  knew  that  tone.  He  knew  what  that  meant  and  he  was  having  nothing  to  do  with  it.  He  also  noticed  that  you  looked  exhausted.  You  looked  defeated.  There  was  an  excessive  amount  of  makeup  under  your  eyes  leading  him  to  believe  that  there  were  dark  circles.  You  were  just  as  skittish  as  that  day  in  the  auditorium.  All  his  work  had  back-stepped  he  could  see.  But  was  no  quitter.  He  wasn’t  back  in  the  forties  and  he  wasn’t  now.  </p><p>All  those  years  ago  he  had  presented  as  an  Alpha.  He’d  had  the  tenacity  and  stubbornness  of  one  but  never  the  strength  to  match.  </p><p>Now  he  had  all  those  things  and  he  wasn’t  about  to  let  the  first  person  he’d  had  more  than  a  passing  interest  in  go  through  his  fingers,  forget  designation.  He’d  accepted  that  it  wasn’t  going  to  be  easy  and  it  was  going  to  take  the  patience  of  a  saint.  Lucky  for  him,  he’d  been  raised  Catholic.  </p><p>“He’s  not  going  to  get  in  here.  You’re  safe  here.  Tony’s  made  this  place  more  secure  than  Fort  Knox.”</p><p>Your  gaze  fell  down  to  his  bare  hands.</p><p>You  knew  that  was  true.  It  didn’t  make  you  feel  any  better  though.</p><p>Steve  knew  you  were  going  to  flinch,  but  he  reached  out  to  take  your  hands  in  his  and  sure  enough,  as  he  expected,  your  body  shuddered  at  the  first  contact  you’d  had  with  him  in  days.  As  if  a  chill  swept  through  your  body.  It  was  why  he  didn’t  touch  your  face.  He  strongly  anticipated  that  would  not  go  over  well  at  all.  When  you  didn’t  pull  your  hands  away,  he  took  that  as  a  positive  sign.  Your  hands  were  cold  and  clammy  so  he  wound  up  cupping  his  around  them.</p><p>“I’m  back  too.  Nat’s  back  and  Sam’s  here.  He’d  have  to  make  it  past  all  of  us  before  he  could  even  get  to  your  elevator.  Plus  there’s  Tony  and  his  new  suit.  He’s  been  wanting  to  test  out  those  new  upgrades  on  a  mission,  but  I’m  sure  he’d  gladly  make  an  exception  in  this  case.”</p><p>All  of  that  was  true.</p><p>When  you  said  nothing  in  response,  Steve  pressed  on,  never  a  quitter.  He  was  starting  to  stink  up  your  office  again.  You’d  be  smelling  spicy  leather  for  days  at  this  rate.  Not  that  you  were  about  to  complain.  Whatever  his  body  was  giving  off  bioogically  to  calm  you,  soothe  you,  was  working.</p><p>“What  are  you  doing  tonight?”</p><p>You  thought  about  reminding  him  that  you  didn’t  date,  or  deferring  him  to  Tony.</p><p>What  came  out  of  your  mouth  however  dripped  with  sarcasm.  You  knew  it  wasn’t  your  best  foot  and  was  most  likely  why  Crossbones  had  put  extra  effort  into  breaking  you,  even  when  it  was  clear  you  didn’t  know  anything.  But  you  couldn’t  always  help  yourself.  “Oh  the  usual…I’m  going  to  load  up  on  bourbon  and  cocaine  then  go  to  a  rave.”</p><p>The  look  he  gave  you  could  have  been  classified  as  panty-dropping-on-fire.</p><p>You  felt  yourself  go  hot  and  could  smell  shortbread  cookies.</p><p>Even  your  Omega  was  a  bit  bothered  by  that  look  on  Steve’s  face.</p><p>“I’m  staying  in,”  you  quickly  amended  around  the  same  time  he  hooked  his  foot  around  the  leg  of  your  chair.  He  pulled  you  close  until  your  knees  were  pressed  against  his  chair.  More  words  came  out  of  you  because  you  couldn’t  do  anything  else.  Your  instincts  couldn’t  think  of  another  way  to  placate  the  Alpha  in  front  of  you.  “Ordering  my  weight  in  takeout  and  watching  Snapped.  Plus  working  on  Natasha’s  paperwork.  I’m  not  doing  anything  fun  Steve.  I  really  do  need  to  get  work  done.”</p><p>You  fidgeted  in  your  chair  and  your  calf  brushed  the  leg  of  his  suit.  The  heavy  thick  material  made  you  fidget  some  more.</p><p>You  had  no  idea  how  this  could  even  work.</p><p>He  had  no  idea  what  he  was  getting  himself  into  and  you  hadn’t  even  agreed  to  go  out  on  a  date.  You  watched  those  sinful  lips  of  his  open  as  your  office  door  swung  open.  </p><p>Natasha’s  voice  drifted  in,  “Tony  wants  to  hear  the  mission  report.  Come  on.”</p><p> </p><p>						***</p><p>Steve  hit  the  sparring  mat  in  the  gym  hard  enough  to  crack  a  rib,  or  three.</p><p>Natasha’s  thighs  were  wrapped  tightly  around  his  neck  and  he  actually  had  no  idea  how  that  had  happened.  It  had  been  years  since  she’d  been  able  to  do  that,  not  since  after  the  Battle  of  New  York  when  he  went  to  work  for  SHIELD  and  they  became  partners.  When  he  started  to  seriously  train  and  see  what  he  was  truly  capable  of  achieving.  </p><p>“Distracted  much  Rogers?”  Came  her  husky  amused  voice.</p><p>That  was  exactly  how  it  happened.</p><p>He  had  a  lot  on  his  mind  and  wasn’t  focused.</p><p>Steve  didn’t  respond  as  he  took  stock  of  his  situation  so  he  could  find  a  way  out  of  it,  to  adapt  and  then  overcome.</p><p>Natasha’s  thighs  tightened  around  his  neck  and  she  grabbed  one  of  his  arms  that  shot  up,  arching  back  her  body,  she  managed  to  extend  him  into  an  uncomfortable  angle  and  render  that  arm  useless.</p><p>He’d  let  Natasha  do  most,  ok,  all  of  the  talking  when  Tony  debriefed  them.</p><p>The  gym  was  busy.</p><p>It  was  nearing  four  in  the  afternoon  so  there  was  a  steady  stream  of  people  in  and  out, not  that  Steve  was  paying  attention  to  them.  He  was  barely  paying  attention  to  Natasha  as  it  was.</p><p>“Leave  it  to  you  to  pick  that  Omega  out  of  all  the  ones  in  this  entire  building.”  Steve  began  to  try  and  break  her  hold  with  more  gusto.  Yet  Nat  went  on,  “Don’t  get  me  wrong,  I  see  the  draw.  She’s  got  a  mouth  on  her  I  haven’t  heard  since  Grandma  Romanov  was  alive.”</p><p>Steve  managed  to  flip  himself  over  and  break  Natasha’s  hip  grip.</p><p>Smoothly  she  rolled  up  onto  her  feet.</p><p>However,  the  both  of  them  froze,  paused  really.  Both  of  their  lines  of  sight  traveled  down  to  three  passing  Beta’s  on  their  way  into  the  gym.  </p><p>Steve  and  Natasha  watched,  catching  familiar  words  along  with  your  name  from  the  middle  Beta,  a  guy  Natasha  recognized  from  HR.  </p><p>“…and  I  was  telling  my  sister  that  we’re  all  in  danger  with  her  here.  Crossbones  is  a  psychopath.  He’ll  find  out  she’s  here  and  then  we’re  all  in  trouble.  Stark  had  no  right  to  bring  her  to  the  compound.  We  work  here  too.  We  should  have  a  say  with  that  sadist  running  around.”</p><p>Natasha  was  forgotten.</p><p>Steve  strolled  over  to  the  edge  of  the  sparing  matt  and  leaned  on  the  ropes.  His  blue  eyes  narrowed.  He  fought  the  urge  to  fling  himself  over  the  ropes  at  them.  “Hey  Beta…”</p><p>The  three  men  paused,  turned  and  seemed  somewhat  surprised  to  see  Steve  addressing  them.  Even  more  so  when  Steve  gave  the  middle  one  the  universal  sign  for  come  here.  “What’s  your  name?”</p><p>As  the  Beta  approached,  he  lifted  the  ropes  so  the  Under  Armor  clad  young  man  could  join  him.</p><p>“Kyle.”</p><p>Steve  didn’t  care  what  his  name  was,  he  really  didn’t.  It  was  everything  he  could  do  to  gesture  at  the  safety  gear  in  the  corner  of  the  matt.  “Suit  up  Kyle.  I  need  a  new  sparring  buddy  and  you  have  a  lot  to  learn.”</p><p>Kyle  with  the  good  hair  and  bright  blue  eyes  seemed  confused.  He  looked  over  at  Natasha  who’d  rolled  out  of  the  area  to  watch.  “I  don’t  know…we’re  not  supposed  to  train  with  you  guys.”</p><p>It  was  true.</p><p>It  was  for  the  safety  of  everyone  involved.</p><p>Steve  nodded  in  total  agreement,  “Absolutely  and  normally  you’d  be  correct.”  He  watched  and  waited  patiently  for  the  Beta  to  pull  on  the  protective  headgear.  “But  you  have  a  very  important  lesson  to  learn  Beta.  We’re  going  to  be  here  until  you  learn  to  keep  my  girl’s  name  out  of  your  mouth.”</p><p>						***</p><p>You  really  needed  to  start  wearing  some  nicer  clothes,  or  at  the  very  least,  matching  loungewear.</p><p>When  you  opened  your  apartment  door  with  cash  in  hand  for  the  delivery-boy,  you  froze.  You  did  not  see  the  Chinese  restaurant  delivery-boy  that  made  a  mint  off  the  Avengers  Compound,  a  literal  mint,  you’d  seen  the  owners  wife  driving  a  new  Jaguar  last  time  you  were  in  town,  you  saw  Steve.</p><p>Steve  had  your  paper  bag  of  takeout.</p><p>Steve  was  looking  you  over  with  a  mix  of  confusion  and  interest.</p><p>Steve  was  positive  that  the  baggy  flannel  drawstring  pants  you  had  on  belonged  to  Banner.  He  wasn’t  going  to  lie.  He  wasn’t  liking  that  at  all.  Again,  your  hair  was  pulled  up  on  top  of  your  head  in  a  messy  bun.  This  time  you  had  a  white  baggy  t-shirt  on  that  had  a  few  holes  in  it,  Buddha  in  the  center  and  a  V  deep  enough  he  could  see  the  tops  of  your  cheetah  print  bra,  along  with  one  of  the  straps.  He  could  see  a  few  round  burn  scars  on  your  chest  too.  Those  made  him  grit  his  teeth  as  you  frowned  at  him  and  cried  out.  “All  my  food  better  be  in  there  Captain  Rogers.”</p><p>“What  did  I  tell  you  about  calling  me  that,”  he  growled.</p><p>You  were  happy  to  see  he’d  changed.  He  wasn’t  exactly  casually  attired.  Jeans,  a  button  up  blue  shirt  that  made  his  eyes  pop  that  was  not  only  tucked  in,  but  that  ensemble  was  topped  off  with  a  belt.</p><p>Your  hands  pressed  against  the  doorway  and  you  leaned  out,  narrowing  your  eyes,  “Well  you  don’t  like  it  when  I  call  you  Stud.  Since  you’re  going  around  calling  me  your  girl,  does  that  mean  I  get  to  call  you  my  boy?  The  Boy  has  a  nice  ring  to  it.”</p><p>Oh  yes,  you  heard  about  that  through  the  gossip  grapevine.</p><p>Steve  stepped  forward  so  you  were  just  almost  touching.  He  literally  had  to  look  down  while  you  had  to  look  up  to  maintain  eye  contact.  </p><p>“Believe  it  or  not…Kyle’s  Aunt  Janet  has  a  bigger  mouth  than  him  and  is  more  annoying.”  Not  that  you  weren’t  touched.  It’d  put  a  smile  on  your  face  when  you  heard  about  the  show  in  the  gym.  You  were  first  to  give  in  and  pulled  your  arm  down  to  let  Steve  enter  your  little  abode.  You  checked  out  his  spectacular  posterior  when  he  passed,  bit  your  fist  and  then  finally  shut  your  apartment  door  after  looking  upwards  for  divine  assistance.  “Well  your  timing  is  impeccable.  I  was  about  to  text  Natasha  to  see  how  much  a  seventy-two  Ford  Fiesta  costs.”</p><p>You  nearly  bumped  into  Steve  when  you  turned,  having  expected  him  to  be  well  on  his  way  into  your  small  space  already.  Instead  he  was  kicking  off  his  shoes.</p><p>“Why  is  she  Natasha  but  I’m  Captain  Rogers?”</p><p>Again,  you  put  your  hands  on  your  hips  and  drew  yourself  up  to  your  full  height  which  was  nowhere  near  his.  “Because  I  don’t  want  Natasha  to  touch  me  Stud.”</p><p>There,  you  said  it.</p><p>It  sort  of  just  popped  out.</p><p>You  didn’t  know  if  you  could  go  out  on  a  date,  or  even  if  you  were  able  to  enter  into  the  scary  waters  of  the  big  R  again.  You  weren’t  even  sure  if  in  good  conscious  you  could  let  him  bite  you.  There  was  just  something  about  him  that  you  were  having  difficulty  shaking.  You  just  wanted  more.</p><p>You  watched  Steve  press  his  lips  in  a  thoughtful  line.  He  then  pushed  them  to  the  side  and  finally  verbalized  a  sentiment.  “I  hope  you  ordered  enough  food  for  the  both  of  us.”</p><p>						***</p><p>That  night  Steve  left  your  apartment  willingly  and  came  bright  and  early  to  see  if  you’d  slept.</p><p>You  hadn’t.  You  looked  even  more  exhausted  and  mentioned  something  about  Mercury  being  in  retrograde  that  he  made  a  note  to  look  up  later.</p><p>The  next  night  Steve  wasn’t  happy,  but  he  left  when  you  asked.</p><p>That  next  morning  you  went  out  to  go  upstairs  and  have  breakfast  with  Pepper.  Per  your  Wednesday  morning  usual,  when  you  tripped  over  one  of  Steve’s  long  legs,  waking  him  up  from  where  he’d  fallen  asleep  out  in  the  hallway.  He  then  accused  you  of  lying  about  your  nightmares  and  you  accused  him  of  being  a  snoop.</p><p>Later  that  day  he  sent  you  flowers  so  you  brought  him  coffee.</p><p>Thursday  night  Steve  put  up  more  of  a  fight  and  you  had  to  shove  him  out  of  your  apartment.  When  you  had  your  nightmares  that  night  you  knew  he  was  out  in  the  hallway.  You  could  hear  him  banging  on  your  door  but  couldn’t  bring  yourself  to  let  him  in.</p><p>When  morning  came  around  you  let  him  in  your  apartment  for  frozen  waffles.</p><p>On  Friday  night  however,  Steve  flat  out  refused  to  leave  your  couch.</p><p>Never  did  you  ever  think  that  this  would  be  an  issue  in  your  life.</p><p>You  found  yourself  pressing  your  hands  to  your  temples,  as  he  sat  on  the  couch  and  shook  his  head  like  an  adamant  four-year-old.  “No,  I’m  staying  here  tonight.  I’ll  sleep  right  here.  I’m  not  going  to  sleep  down  in  my  room  knowing  you’ll  be  up  here  waking  yourself  up  screaming.  No.  I’d  rather  sleep  out  in  the  hallway  again.”</p><p>Honestly,  you  were  too  tired  to  argue.  Plus  he  was  getting  too  far  under  your  skin  for  you  to  launch  a  legit  protest.  In  the  end  you  just  threw  your  hands  up  and  stomped  off  in  the  direction  of  the  bathroom.  Shouting  in  your  wake,  “Fine!  Sleep  on  the  couch!  If  that’ll  make  you  happy!  I’m  brushing  my  teeth  and  going  to  bed.”</p><p>At  first  Steve  didn’t  move.</p><p>He  remained  on  the  couch  till  he  heard  water  turn  on  in  the  bathroom  and  even  then,  he  remained  seated.  </p><p>He  was  bound  and  determined  to  stay  the  night.  </p><p>If  he  had  to  spend  one  more  night  outside  in  the  hallway  and  listen  to  you  wake  up  screaming  in  the  wee  morning  hours,  he’d  lose  his  ever-loving  mind.  He’d  suspected  on  Monday  that  you  weren’t  sleeping  well,  but  he’d  needed  to  hear  the  proof  himself.  Now  that  he’d  managed  to  wear  you  down,  he  was  about  as  happy  as  he  could  get  in  his  current  situation.</p><p>He  wasn’t  entirely  sure  what  he’d  do.  But  he  knew  he  couldn’t  do  nothing.  Just  listening  to  your  blood  curling  screams  was  physically  painful.  Your  distress  was  making  his  chest  tighten  a  little  more  every  night.</p><p>You  were  suffering  and  he  had  to  do  something.</p><p>When  you  eventually  came  back  and  threw  a  pillow  with  some  blankets  at  him,  he  was  almost  relieved.  You  must  not  have  been  that  mad.</p><p>He  then  watched  you  climb  into  your  closet  mere  feet  away,  curl  up  in  a  nest  of  blankets  and  pillows  belonging  to  Banner,  which  he  planned  to  remedy  later  that  week,  and  then  close  the  door  as  much  as  you  could.  Only  when  he  was  sure  that  you  were  asleep  and  could  hear  the  change  in  your  breathing  did  he  get  up.  Steve  peered  in  the  small  closet  to  see  you  folded  up  in  there  and  practically  passed  out  from  exhaustion.  </p><p>After  that  he  went  into  the  guest  room  and  brushed  his  teeth.  He  took  off  his  button  up  shirt  and  jeans,  folded  them,  then  put  them  on  the  end  of  the  bed.  Once  he’d  turned  the  lights  out  leaving  on  the  stove  light  in  the  kitchen  for  you,  he  grabbed  the  pillow  and  blankets  you’d  given  him  and  put  them  on  the  floor  near  the  closet  door.</p><p>He  wanted  to  hear  you  sleep.  He  wanted  to  be  able  to  wake  you  up,  before  you  woke  yourself  up  with  those  screams  that  he  couldn’t  not  think  about.</p><p>						***</p><p>It  was  very  close  to  three  in  the  morning  when  your  restless  sleep  woke  Steve  up.</p><p>You  were  a  restless  sleeper,  which  had  led  to  several  false  alarms  over  the  night.</p><p>Yet,  in  the  near  total  blackness  of  Banner’s  windowless  apartment,  something  about  this  time  made  Steve  lift  his  head  from  the  pillow.  You  weren’t  just  tossing,  turning,  shifting  or  bumping  into  the  closet  walls.  No,  now  you  were  mumbling,  you  were  saying  ‘No.’  You  were  begging,  ‘Please’  and  repeating  ‘I  don’t  know…I  don’t  know…no…no…’  </p><p>This  made  Steve  roll  on  his  knees  and  make  his  way  the  few  steps  to  the  closet  door.</p><p>When  he  opened  said  door,  scents  of  your  distress  that  had  slowly  been  curling  out  through  the  small  crack  hit  him  like  a  brick  wall.  The  power  of  it  made  his  hands  tremble  from  the  agitation  you  were  unknowingly  causing  him.</p><p>Softly  Steve  said  your  name.</p><p>Your  body  jerked,  but  you  had  already  been  doing  that  which  wasn’t  helpful  to  him.  You  were  sweaty  and  tangled  up  in  blankets.  </p><p>Again,  Steve  said  your  name,  a  bit  firmer.</p><p>“No…no…no…”  mumbled  from  your  lips,  your  face  contorted  in  pain  as  your  features  twitched.</p><p>Steve’s  hand’s  fisted.</p><p>He  bit  his  lower  lip  till  he  tasted  blood.  He  knew  if  he  touched  you  that  you’d  wake  up  screaming,  he  just  knew  it.  You  were  getting  louder  though.  Your  hair  had  fallen  out  of  that  messy  bun  and  was  sticking  to  your  damp  face  and  neck.  Your  nails  were  sinking  into  your  blankets  and  pillows,  making  little  holes.</p><p>Steve  was  becoming  jittery  in  his  desperation  to  calm  you.</p><p>Those  blue  eyes  of  his  roved  over  the  nest  you’d  made,  until  he  saw  a  pillow  under  your  shoulders.  He  yanked  on  it.  He  yanked  and  using  his  Voice,  that  Tone  that  Alpha’s  possessed,  he  almost  shouted  your  name  in  an  order,  a  downright  command.</p><p>It  ripped  you  out  of  your  nightmare  so  quickly  you  didn’t  realize,  you  couldn’t  react.</p><p>You  were  confused,  disoriented,  terrified  and  again  in  the  dark,  gasping  desperately  for  air  that  didn’t  seem  to  be  plentiful  enough.  Your  face  was  wet  with  tears  and  your  leg  was  twisted  up  in  blankets,  so  much  so  you  were  trapped.</p><p>Again,  using  his  Alpha  Tone,  at  a  slightly  lower  pitch,  he  said  your  name  making  your  head  snap  in  his  direction,  seeking  out  that  sound  in  the  dark.  You  could  barely  see  a  thing  in  your  closet.  The  four  walls  had  provided  you  comfort.  No  one  could  sneak  up  on  you  while  you  slept.  </p><p>Steve  watched  your  eyes  fight  to  focus  on  him  as  sleep  slowly  left  your  features.  He  was  very  careful  to  not  move.  He  strongly  suspected  a  single  movement  would  activate  your  fight  or  flight  response  and  you’d  hurt  yourself  in  that  small  space.  As  it  was,  you  were  gasping  so  deeply  he  was  afraid  you’d  hyperventilate.  Your  hands  clenched  your  nest  so  tightly  he  could  hear  soft  sounds  of  fabric  tearing.</p><p>Your  scent  was  changing.  It  made  a  guttural  noise  escape  from  deep  within  his  chest.</p><p>When  you  finally  spoke  your  voice  was  small,  broken,  terrified  and  it  broke  down  that  last  bit  of  self-control  he  was  hanging  onto.</p><p>“Steve?”</p><p>There  was  a  very  strong  chance  you’d  be  irritated  with  him  tomorrow.  Steve  didn’t  care.  All  he  could  think  about,  focus  on,  was  comforting  you.  Somehow  he  was  getting  in  that  closet  with  you.  He  didn’t  care  how  you  reacted  to  him  seeing  you  like  this  in  the  morning.  “It’s  ok…I’m  here,  you  were  having  a  nightmare.”  Steve  for  once  found  himself  wishing  he  wasn’t  so  big.  What  he  would  have  given  to  be  able  to  comfortably  curl  up  in  your  nest  and  hold  you.  </p><p>As  it  was,  he  was  having  to  bend  his  legs  at  weird  angles  to  fit.</p><p>When  you  never  once  complained,  he  knew  it  was  the  right  thing  to  do.  His  long  legs  wound  up  stretching  up  the  wall  so  he  could  lay  on  his  back,  pull  you  into  his  arms  and  hold  you  to  his  chest.  You  were  damp  with  sweat  and  trembling.  He  made  soft  little  noises  to  try  and  comfort  you,  as  you  hiccupped  and  rubbed  your  face  against  the  soft  warm  cotton  of  his  t-shirt.  A  powerful  calloused  hand  smoothed  over  your  back.  Convinced  you’d  not  fall  asleep,  soon  you  were  pulled  back  under  into  an  inky  dark  void  of  blissful  nothingness.</p><p>Steve  however  wasn’t  sleeping.  He  didn’t  need  much  sleep  anyway.  Even  if  he  was  tired  and  wasn’t  crammed  into  such  a  small  space,  he  wouldn’t  have  been  sleeping.  As  you  slept,  he  found  himself  thinking  about  what  Tony  had  said.  He  didn’t  think  you  were  unwell.  Once  he’d  been  unwell.  He  knew  there  was  a  vast  difference  in  his  poor  health  from  so  long  ago  and  what  you’d  endured.</p><p>His  other  hand  threaded  in  your  hair  slowly,  drifted  down  around  the  column  of  your  neck.  Down  lower,  until  his  thumb  brushed  over  the  soft  scar  on  your  mating  gland.</p><p>You  shifted  against  him  when  his  thumb  brushed  over  it  but  didn’t  wake.</p><p>						***</p><p>You  woke  up  hot  and  sweaty,  uncomfortably  shoved  up  under  what  felt  like  a  living  breathing  boulder  and  feeling  like  you’d  run  a  marathon.</p><p>FRIDAY  had  been  programed  to  fill  your  room  with  ambient  light,  as  if  there  were  real  windows.  In  those  first  few  days  you’d  accidentally  slept  till  noon  in  your  dark  apartment.  You  weren’t  exactly  thrilled  to  see  light  that  filtered  in  through  your  wide  open  closet  door. </p><p>It  was  Saturday,  it  wasn’t  fair.</p><p>Why  was  your  closet  door  open?</p><p>Slowly  you  opened  your  eyes,  lifted  your  head  only  to  find  that  you  had  a  crink  in  your  neck.  You  had  also  been  drooling  and  Steve  was  beside  you,  watching  you  with  a  pair  of  eyes  bluer  than  you’d  seen.  This  was  not  how  you  ever  wanted  anyone  short  of  Pepper  to  see  you.  So  you  found  yourself  scowling.</p><p>Naturally  he  looked  like  a  snack.  </p><p>Golden  hair  tousled.  White  t-shirt  rumpled.  One  long  leg  flopped  out  of  the  closet  where  it  had  room  to  stretch  out  on  the  floor,  while  his  other  was  propped  up  on  the  wall.</p><p>You  were  half  tempted  to  curl  up  against  him  and  go  back  to  sleep.</p><p>You’d  never  been  one  of  those  morning  people.  You  were  perfectly  capable  of  getting  up  early  and  functioning,  but  it  was  not  your  idea  of  a  good  time.</p><p>“Can  I  see  them?”</p><p>At  first  you  had  absolutely  no  idea  what  he  was  talking  about.  Nor  were  you  particularly  happy  that  he  sounded  alert  and  with  it  as  ever.  You  on  the  other  hand  were  still  trying  to  figure  out  how  he  got  in  your  nest  and  if  he  was  laying  on  your  memory  foam  pillow.  It  was  so  not  fair.  </p><p>Your  voice  was  scratchy,  “See  what?”</p><p>Steve  gestured  at  your  waist.</p><p>You  glanced  down  to  see  your  super  sexy  grey  Stark  Industries  sleeping  t-shirt  had  ridden  up,  thus  exposing  a  few  scars  on  your  side.</p><p>It  was  still  early  so  you  shouldn’t  have  been  held  responsible  for  the  things  that  came  out  of  your  mouth.  Distractedly,  as  you  also  looked  around  in  the  sea  of  blankets  and  pillows  for  your  hair  tie,  you  told  him,  “You  first.”</p><p>To  your  total  surprise,  you  watched  him  tug  up  his  undershirt  then  toss  it  out  of  the  closet.</p><p>You  couldn’t  help  yourself.</p><p>You  looked,  you  stared  down  at  the  vast  expanse  of  muscle  and  toned  flesh  that  made  up  Steve  Rogers.  Leaving  him  in  only  a  pair  of  socks  and  black  Calvin’s.  He  was  even  broader  and  more  defined  than  you  imagined,  or  could  have  expected.  And  since  you  were  looking,  and  maybe  tracing  your  fingertips  over  his  feverishly  warm  skin,  not  at  all  feeling  his  taut  muscled  abdominals.  You  might  have  noticed  the  case  of  morning  wood  he  was  sporting,  maybe.</p><p>It  was  so  your  luck.</p><p>There  beside  you  in  your  little  nest  was  the  epitome  of  male  physical  perfection.  And  he  wanted  to  see  the  extent  of  your  scars.</p><p>You  had  half  a  mind  to  throw  him  out.  Unfortunately,  your  mother  didn’t  raise  a  quitter.  Sadly  he  made  you  feel  more  alive  than  you’d  felt  in  a  very  long  time.  So  what  did  you  do?  You  huffed  out  a  breath  then  yanked  the  loose-fitting  t-shirt  over  your  head,  dropping  it  down  in  your  messy  nest.  If  Bruce  ever  returned  to  Earth,  he  was  never  going  to  get  your  smell  out  of  his  linen  closet.</p><p>Steve  thought  he’d  been  prepared.</p><p>After  all,  he’d  read  Natasha’s  after-action  report.  He  knew  what  sort  of  savagery  Crossbones  was  capable  of  committing. Plus  he  spent  a  significant  amount  of  time  getting  lectured  by  Tony  on  every  reason  under  the  sun  of  why  he  needed  to  leave  you  alone.  </p><p>There  were  not  a  lot  of  scars,  granted  there  also  wasn’t  a  small  amount.  Maybe  ten  or  eleven,  he  didn’t  count  them.  Steve  did  sit  up.  He  brushed  his  fingers  softly  over  one  of  the  bigger  ones  on  your  side.  He  recognized  it  as  collection  of  burns  from  one  of  the  shock  batons.  Well  aware  of  how  much  they  hurt,  along  with  how  many  times  they  would  have  to  be  used  to  make  that  big  of  a  scar.</p><p>He  didn’t  even  realize  he  was  gritting  his  teeth,  or  how  powerful  his  scent  was  getting  until  you  softly  told  him.  “They’re  not  that  bad.”</p><p>It  was  a  damn  lie.  But  he  seemed  to  understand  that  you  were  trying  to  calm  him,  reassure  him,  which  wasn’t  what  he  wanted  you  to  be  doing  for  him.  He  wanted  to  be  the  one  to  comfort  you  and  here  he  was,  slowly  losing  his  shit.  Blue  eyes  followed  a  long  scar  down  your  abdomen  into  what  really  threw  him  through  a  loop…</p><p>“Are  those  Hulk  boxer  shorts?”</p><p>You  peered  down.</p><p>Sure  enough,  the  purple  silk  boxers  you’d  found  in  the  bedroom  dresser  looked  up  at  you.  Little  green  Hulk’s  covered  them.  “Yeah…I  need  to  go  shopping  for  my  own  clothes  but  just  wasn’t  up  for  it  before.  Pepper  bought  me  so  much  but  I  don’t  like  sleeping  in  nightgowns.  This  was  in  Bruce’s  stuff.  I  think  Tony  gave  these  to  him  as  a  joke  or  something.”</p><p>You  thought  they  were  kinda  cute.  They  were  soft  and  didn’t  irritate  your  skin.</p><p>Steve  found  himself  leaping  from  one  emotion  to  the  next  at  a  wild  breakneck  speed  that  was  a  bit  of  a  surprise,  even  for  him.  Seeing  those  scars  was  bad  enough.  Picturing  violent  hands  touching  her,  hurting  her,  making  his  girl  scream  and  scarring  her  for  life  was  enough  to  make  it  hard  to  breathe,  hard  to  see  straight.  Steve  now  totally  understood  Natasha’s  off-handed  remarks  about  things  she’d  gladly  serve  time  for  doing.  He  never  completely  understood  the  term  homicide  with  such  a  deep  meaningful  way.  Even  in  the  war,  he  never  saw  red,  as  the  term  went.</p><p>And  then,  then  he  saw  the  boxers.  He  saw  you  wearing  another  man’s  underwear.  A  Stark  Industries  shirt  was  annoying,  but  he  had  one  of  his  own  buried  in  his  gym  bag  somewhere.</p><p>Banner’s  boxer  shorts  complete  with  little  Hulks  were  just  too  much.  Joke  or  not,  which  he  knew  was  true.  Tony  gave  him  a  pair  of  his  own  themed  boxers  that  were  in  the  bottom  of  his  own  underwear  drawer,  down  in  his  room.  Everyone  got  one.  </p><p>“No…those  have  to  come  off.  They  have  to  come  off  now.”</p><p>You  straight  up  frowned  at  Steve.  “Hey  Stud…I’m  not  wearing  anything  under  these  babies.”</p><p>Remembering  back  to  your  previous  statement  regarding  shirts,  Steve  was  a  bit  too  far  done  to  fully  get  what  you  meant.  He  was  so  far  done.  Done  with  a  capital  D.  Put  a  fork  in  him  done.</p><p>“Fine,  I’ll  go first.”</p><p>To  your  total  and  complete  surprise,  Steve  began  to  yank  down  his  own  boxer-briefs.  And  at  first,  you  were  not  quite  sure  how  to  react.  Your  seditious  Omega  seemed  to  be  somewhat  curious.  You  could  tell  he  was  upset.  Not  only  was  his  scent  just  clogging  up  everything,  his  actions  were  jerky,  rough.  </p><p>This  was  so  not  how  you’d  been  planning  to  spend  your  Saturday  morning.  Dreams  of  frozen  waffles  and  Keith  Morrison’s  new  show  had  been  dancing  through  your  head  last  night.  Sure,  you’d  thought  about  what  Steve  was  packing  in  his  Calvin’s,  but  this  was  not  how  you  thought  you’d  get  your  first  peek.</p><p>You’d  thought  it’d  be  in  your  amazing  shower  and  Jason  Mamoa  might  have  been  there  too.</p><p>And  then  he  was  mostly  naked.  His  socks  were  last  standing  articles  of  clothing.</p><p>You  really  did  need  to  stop  imagining  what  he  looked  like  in  the  nude,  because  again,  you  were  off.  You  found  yourself  surprised.  You  cocked  your  head  to  the  side.  “You’re  not  circumcised?”  Then  again,  you  probably  shouldn’t  have  been  surprised.  It  probably  wasn’t  common  back  whenever  he  was  born,  whenever  that  was…pre-World  War  Two.  You  were  going  to  have  to  google  it  later.</p><p>You  might  as  well  have  been  speaking  in  tongues.  Steve  blinked  at  you  then  followed  your  line  of  vision.  When  it  dawned  on  him  what  you  were  saying,  he  shook  his  head.  Pieces  of  blonde  hair  fell  across  his  forehead.  </p><p>And  somehow,  something  had  shifted.</p><p>Whether  you  were  indeed  curious,  or  you  wanted  to  just  not  have  his  focus  on  you  anymore,  or  whatever,  you  found  yourself  running  you  hand  over  one  of  his  muscular  thighs.  “Can  I  touch  you?”</p><p>Steve  would  have  let  you  tattoo  him  at  that  point  in  time.</p><p>However,  he  was  still  an  Irish-American  born  on  the  cusp  of  the  twenties.  He  could  feel  that  little  rebel  in  him  surge  up.  His  heart  of  gold  would  let  you  do  whatever  you  wanted  to  his  body  without  question.  That  hellraiser  part  of  him  always  fighting  in  back  alleyways  was  still  looking  at  Banner  on  your  underwear.  “Take  those  off  first.  I  don’t  want  anyone  else  in  here  with  us.”</p><p>If  he  even  realized  he’d  said  that  last  bit,  you  couldn’t  be  sure.  He  sounded  a  little  strained,  a  wee  bit  uncomfortable,  if  it  could  be  said.  Which  was  how  you  found  yourself  wiggling  the  offensive  boxers  off.  You  dropped  them  into  the  nest  with  your  shirt.  Steve  reached  over  you  and  threw  both  out  of  the  closet  as  if  they  were  contaminated.</p><p>It  was  almost  amusing.</p><p>Had  you  not  been  distracted,  you  might  have  giggled.  You  were  busy.  You  didn’t  have  time  to  giggle.  What  rested  between  his  thighs  was  no  laughing  matter.  A  dusting  of  dark  blonde  hair  traveled  down  from  his  navel  to  the  very  uncircumcised  erect  penis  that  you  were  a  little  unsure  how  to  approach.  You  looked  to  Steve,  who  was  leaning  against  the  closet  wall,  watching  you,  “First  time?”</p><p>And  whatever  had  come  over  you  was  gone.</p><p>You  rolled  your  eyes  and  grabbed  him,  enjoying  the  hiss  of  air  that  escaped  so  sharply  from  his  lungs.  You  rested  on  his  stomach  and  found  yourself  touching  him  softly,  almost  experimentally.  He  easily  filled  your  hand.  You  were  unable  to  wrap  your  hand  around  him  and  touch  your  thumb  with  your  other  fingers.  He  was  solid  and  hard,  so  soft  too,  velvety  even.  With  ease  you  pushed  the  foreskin  back  to  find  a  beautiful  dick,  if  that  could  even  be  said.</p><p>Steve  found  himself  on  a  most  hellish  roller  coaster.  </p><p>First  the  rage,  the  righteous  fury  and  hatred  at  the  sight  of  your  scars.  Then  the  possessive  jealously  that  made  him  tremble.  Oh  how  he  wanted  to  sink  his  teeth  into  your  neck  until  your  skin  broke  and  you  were  his,  just  his,  his  alone  for  everyone  to  see.  </p><p>It  had  been  quite  the  span  of  a  few  minutes.   </p><p>Now  your  hands  were  on  him.  Your  little  hands  gripped  and  pumped  his  shaft  with  a  firm  strength  that  made  him  see  stars.  He  had  to  close  his  eyes  or  he  was  going  to  embarrass  himself.  You  were  leaning  against  him,  pressing  your  soft  skin  against  his,  your  hair  tickling  his  stomach.</p><p>He  swore  out  loud  when  you  drug  your  wicked  tongue  up  his  length.</p><p>“Captain  Rogers,”  you  admonished.</p><p>Oh,  he  had  something  for  you.  When  he  opened  his  eye’s  they  blazed  blue.  His  fingers  sank  into  your  thick  hair  and  then  your  hot  wet  mouth  slid  over  his  tip.  </p><p>More  profanities  hissed  out  of  him.</p><p>His  fingers  sank  further  into  your  hair,  stroking  the  back  of  your  head.  “I’m  gonna  enjoy  making  you  come.”  He  grunted  with  a  swirl  of  your  tongue.  The  exquisite  feel  of  your  mouth  sinking  down  more  sent  his  head  back  soundly  against  the  closet  wall.  “I’m  going  to  make  you  scream…”  you  hummed  in  response  and  he  nearly  died.  Your  little  hand  not  firmly  squeezing  the  hell  out  of  what  your  mouth  couldn’t  reach,  sank  down  to  his  sac.  </p><p>When  he  gasped  that  he  was  close,  a  gentlemanly  fair  warning,  you  were  torn.</p><p>What  did  this  Alpha  taste  like?  You  were  curious.  Just  the  thought  of  tasting  him  was  enough  to  make  you  flush.  But  you  also  felt  an  overpowering  urge  from  the  depths  of  your  primordial  genetic  Omega  makeup.  After  giving  him  firm  squeezes  with  both  hands,  not  at  once,  since  you  didn’t  want  the  top  of  his  head  to  blow  off,  you  pulled  off  him  with  a  resounding  pop.  </p><p>When  he  came  you  watched  closely.</p><p>He  came  with  a  delicious  groan,  just  riding  the  line  of  pleasure  and  pain.  You  were  quite  pleased  to  see  how  much  he  came  and  how  much  he  got  on  your  blankets.  Which  you  began  to  mash  together  when  he  was  done.  You  left  him  panting  and  gasping,  a  sheen  of  sweat  visible  on  his  body,  which  you  hoped  got  on  your  nest  too.</p><p>It  took  a  second  for  Steve  to  regain  feeling  of  his  body,  control  of  his  faculties  again.  When  he  did,  he  watched  you  mash  and  shove  your  blankets  together.  It  was  almost  amusing  until  it  clicked  in  his  head  what  you  were  doing.  And  he  was  getting  hard  again  at  the  sight  of  you  doing  that  with  his  spend.</p><p>When  he  said  your  name,  you  looked  up,  hair  falling  in  a  messy  curtain  around  your  face.  He  motioned  for  you  to  come  closer  with  a  curl  of  his  finger.</p><p>You  obliged  like  a  good  girl,  such  a  good  girl,  even  if  your  Omega  was  warning  you  to  ignore  this  Alpha.  It  was  a  trick,  a  trap.  But  when  he  said  your  name  in  that  way.  You  were  gone.  It  was  all  over.  You  would  happily  deal  with  the  headache  from  stressing  out  over  it  later.  You  knew  you  would  be  moody  and  so  mad  at  yourself  when  he  left  and  that  was  ok.  Just  because  of  how  he  said  your  name,  how  the  syllables  curled  over  his  tongue.  </p><p>You  didn’t  say  anything  when  he  pulled  you  up  onto  his  lap.  Or  when  he  straddled  you  over  one  thick  thigh,  though  you  thought  it  was  a  little  weird.  His  erection  was  pushing  against  the  outside  of  your  thigh.  Your  fingernails  dug  into  the  hot  flesh  of  his  shoulders.  Although  you  found  yourself  just  a  bit  confused  when  his  own  hands  sank  into  the  cheeks  of  your  ass,  allowing  him  to  move  you  along  his  thigh  and  the  hard  planes  of  his  pelvis.</p><p>A  whimper  came  from  you,  then,  “Wait…why  aren’t…”</p><p>You  were  so  confused.  He  clearly  was  more  than  ready  for  some  penetrative  contact  and  if  the  slick  trail  you  were  leaving  as  he  rubbed  you  so  perfectly  along  his  thigh  was  any  indication,  you  were  too.</p><p>“You  don’t  get  that  until  you’re  my  Girl.  You  gotta  say  it  to  me  too.”</p><p>Your  mouth  dropped  in  shock.</p><p>You  then  moaned  deeply  at  the  orgasmic  tremble  that  shook  your  body  when  your  clit  made  prolonged  contact  with  his  hip.  Your  tone  may  have  been  somewhat  savage.  “You’re  such  a  little  shit.”</p><p>“Scream  it  to  me  like  a  good  little  Omega.”</p><p>Steve  had  plenty  of  time  to  think  while  you’d  slept.  He  didn’t  need  to  go  out  with  you  on  traditional  dates.  He  could  be  more  than  happy  with  meals  spent  in  the  cafeteria,  your  apartments  and  offices.  He  could  be  flexible.  He  was  more  than  willing  to  adapt  for  you.  But  he  needed  you  to  know  you  were  his,  you  were  his  girl.  You  were  his  and  he  couldn’t  wait  to  pull  those  words  out  of  your  pretty  mouth.  Knowing  that  a  part  of  him  was  now  smeared  all  over  your  blankets  had  just  stoked  that  proverbial  fire.</p><p>When  you  bit  him  in  sheer  frustration  and  perhaps  an  overwhelming  abundance  of  pleasure  coiling  up  inside  you,  his  fingers  were  lacing  back  in  your  hair.  “Bite  me  harder.  I  want  you  to  leave  a  mark  that  lasts  till  lunch.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve  was  gone  a  little  before  noon  on  Saturday  which  left  you  and  Pepper  spending  the  afternoon  together,  as  Tony  was  gone  too.  </p><p>By  the  time  Sunday  rolled  around  you  were  vegged  out  on  the  couch  while  Jessica  Fletcher  solved  a  crime.  You’d  been  trying  to  make  sense  of  Clint’s  reports  he’d  dropped  off,  which  were  so  far  beyond  vague  you  wondered  sometimes  if  he  was  working,  or  just  taking  trips  and  billing  the  Avengers.  Natasha  at  least  gave  you  a  pretty  detailed  list  of  things  she  bought,  stole  or  destroyed.  Tony  didn’t  turn  in  expense  reports.  It  was  an  ongoing  battle  of  wills.  Sam  and  Wanda  were  pretty  good  at  filing  and  Steve,  dear  God,  he  usually  included  estimates  that  he  looked  up  in  his  intricately  detailed  reports.</p><p>At  first  you  didn’t  think  too  much  of  the  headache  that  just  sort  of  popped  up.</p><p>After  all,  you’d  been  highlighting  Clint’s  report  and  kept  going  over  the  part  that  mentioned  he’d  ‘borrowed  an  older  model  red  car  with  minimal  damage  at  the  aforementioned  location  and  left  it  with  the  keys  inside  when  the  pursuit  was  over.’  You  were  hoping  he  saved  the  receipt  for  the  three  hundred  dollars-worth  of  arrows  he  bought  too,  which  had  been  a  side-note  at  the  bottom  of  his  report.</p><p>Why  wouldn’t  three  pages  of  that  give  you  a  tension  headache?</p><p>It  steadily  grew  worse  till  you  began  to  think  about  getting  up  to  go  find  some  Tylenol.  However,  it  was  when  that  thought  crossed  your  mind  that  you  smelled  Steve.  You  got  a  particularly  strong  whiff  of  leather  and  vanilla.</p><p>That  did  send  you  to  your  feet  to  the  door,  but  no  one  was  in  the  hall.  Which  you  found  a  bit  odd.  But  you  were  up,  so  you  went  to  dig  around  Banner’s  bathroom  where  you  got  another  strong  hint  of  cinnamon  and  vanilla.  It  was  so  powerful  you  found  yourself  calling  out  Steve’s  name.</p><p>Had  you  been  so  enthralled  in  Clint’s  sketchy  paperwork  that  you  totally  didn’t  notice  Steve  breaking  into  Banner’s  apartment?</p><p>By  then  you  totally  forgot  about  the  Tylenol  and  wandered  around  looking  for  Steve.</p><p>You  were  adamant  you  smelled  him.  You  even  checked  in  your  closet.</p><p>Upon  seeing  your  nest  empty  you  began  to  ponder  your  predicament  in  a  most  ‘Murder, She Wrote’  fashion.  Perhaps  you’d  finally  lost  your  mind?  Maybe  you  should  have  gone  to  therapy  like  all  the  doctors  suggested?  Maybe  your  mutinous  Omega  was  finally  getting  her  revenge  on  you?</p><p>Then,  horror  of  all  horrors,  not  only  did  you  catch  another  whiff  of  Steve’s  now  incredibly  familiar  scent,  but  your  stomach  growled.  You’d  just  eaten  a  everything  bagel  with  a  significant  amount  of  cream  cheese.  Like,  hella  significant.  There  was  no  way  on  earth  you  were  hungry.  </p><p>And  then  you  knew,  you  just  knew.</p><p>How  you  knew  you  weren’t  sure,  but  you  knew  exactly  where  Steve  was  and  after  pausing  the  TV,  as  you  couldn’t  miss  a  second  of  the  episode  you’d  seen  countless  times  before,  you  left  your  apartment.</p><p>You  stomped  over  to  the  elevator  and  headed  down,  just  knowing.</p><p>It  was  almost  one  in  the  afternoon  and  you  hadn’t  heard  from  Steve  at  all,  so  there  was  no  way  you  could  know.  You  could  have  texted  him.  But  you  had  to  see  if  you  were  correct.</p><p>If  you  were  right,  you  were  in  big  trouble.</p><p>The  compound  wasn’t  too  busy  on  Sunday.  Nor  were  the  offices  where  the  Avengers  worked.  Sure  there  were  a  few  people  hanging  around  but  it  was  mostly  a  skeleton  crew.  </p><p>And  honestly,  you  were  hoping  you  were  wrong.</p><p>Maybe  you  were  having  a  stroke?  Crossbones  had  given  you  a  severe  concussion  so  maybe  he  damaged  something  that  all  the  scans  had  missed?  You  were  kinda  hoping  that  you  were  wrong.  However,  when  you  eventually  came  upon  Steve’s  office  and  saw  him  in  his  chair,  on  the  phone,  pinching  the  bridge  of  his  nose  in  a  state  of  clear  agitation,  you  knew  you  weren’t  wrong.</p><p>For  just  a  moment  you  were  frozen  in  place.</p><p>There  he  was  in  a  different  suit  clearly  having  the  same  headache  as  you.</p><p>He’d  given  you  a  headache.  You’d  smelled  him.  You  were  willing  to  bet  it’d  been  a  while  since  he’d  last  eaten.  </p><p>This  had  never  happened  to  you.  It’d  never  happened  before  with  your  ex.  You’d  loved  him  wholeheartedly  and  had  totally  submitted  to  him  and  never  once  had  this  ever  happened  with  him.  A  lot  of  good  that  did  you,  you  couldn’t  help  but  think.</p><p>Your  old  mating  mark  began  to  itch  like  it  was  infected.</p><p>Something  from  the  periphery  of  Steve’s  vision  caught  his  eye.  He  tilted  his  head  to  look  as  Colonel  Rhodes  raged  on  over  the  phone  as  his  head  pounded.  The  last  time  he’d  eaten  was  with  you  yesterday  morning.  Crossbones  had  slipped  through  their  fingers  again.  Rhodes  was  irate.  He  was  pretty  annoyed  himself  truth  be  told.</p><p>Yet,  when  he  saw  you,  some  of  his  frustration  diminished.</p><p>Steve  motioned  for  you  to  come  in  his  office  as  Rhodes  powered  on  in  frustration.  </p><p>You  walked  in  and  quietly  shut  the  door.  He  didn’t  have  his  red  white  and  blue  suit  on  you’d  seen  him  in  last  week.  Instead  he  had  on  a  dark  blue  one  that  was  much  better,  a  star  was  still  in  the  center  of  that  broad  chest,  grey  strips  spread  across  from  shoulder  to  shoulder.   </p><p>“Yeah  no,  I  understand…”  Steve  responded  to  Colonel  Rhodes.  His  eyes  however  watched  you  slowly  wander  into  his  work  space.  He  noticed  you  were  distractedly  itching  your  mating  gland.  You  probably  didn’t  even  realize  you  were  doing  it.  </p><p>He’d  spoken  to  Doctor  Cho  about  it.  The  scar  was  there  but  that  was  about  it.  </p><p>Doctor  Cho  had  gotten  a  sad  look  on  her  face  when  Steve  brought  your  name  up.  She’d  told  him  everything  he  wanted  to  know,  assuming  it  was  work  related  because  why  would  Captain  America  ask  for  any  other  reason?  </p><p>Your  mating  bond  was  broken.</p><p>Bonds  between  Alphas  and  Omegas  could  be  broken  if  an  event  was  traumatic  enough  Doctor  Cho  had  confirmed.  According  to  the  medical  records,  you’d  gone  through  a  period  similar  to  withdrawals  when  in  the  hospital  confirming  it.  Even  Doctor  Cho  was  surprised  you  were  still  alive.  Totally  discounting  the  injuries  you’d  received  at  the  hands  of  Hydra,  you  shouldn’t  have  survived.  You  didn’t  eat,  you  weren’t  sleeping,  you  weren’t  drinking,  you  weren’t  talking  and  had  been  that  way  for  weeks  until  Pepper  was  finally  allowed  to  visit  you.</p><p>You  walked  around  his  small  office,  smaller  than  yours.  </p><p>Steve’s  office  just  had  a  desk,  a  window,  a  couch  and  filing  cabinet.  Why  wouldn’t  it?  He’d  so  be  the  person  to  just  the  bare  minimum.  </p><p>It  wasn’t  long  until  Steve  was  hanging  up  his  office  phone.</p><p>You  didn’t  wait  for  him  to  speak.  </p><p>“You  gave  me  a  headache.”</p><p>This  made  him  frown  and  spin  in  his  wheeled  chair,  “What?”</p><p>“You  gave  me  a  headache  from  all  the  way  down  here,”  you  hissed  accusingly,  as  if  someone  would  overhear.  But  you  weren’t  done.  You  plopped  down  on  the  worlds  most  uncomfortable  couch.  “I  could  smell  you  too.  Plus  my  stomach  is  growling  and  I  just  ate  a  bagel.”</p><p>Steve  found  himself  incredibly  pleased. </p><p>However,  just  based  from  your  expression  of  distress  along  with  the  strengthening  scents  coming  off  you,  he  knew  this  had  to  be  handled  delicately.  He’d  never  seen  you  this  upset  and  upon  dropping  his  phone  on  the  receiver,  he  turned  and  decided  against  sitting  beside  you  on  the  couch.  Instead  he  wheeled  over  to  you  in  his  chair.  </p><p>“That  never  happened  to  me  before,”  you  hissed  at  him.</p><p>Steve’s  eyes  traveled  to  your  neck,  to  that  faded  scar  that  he  was  hating  seeing  even  more  and  more.  It  took  all  his  self-control  to  calm  his  voice.  He  didn’t  want  to  hear  about  your  former  Alpha.  If  he  had  his  way,  he’d  just  erase  the  man  from  your  memory.  You  were  his  now.  You  didn’t  need  to  bring  anyone  else  up,  or  think  about  anyone  else.</p><p>“It’s  the  serum.”</p><p>You  made  a  face  of  bewilderment,  “What?”</p><p>Calmly,  so  he  could  maintain  some  semblance  of  control,  “Erskine’s  serum.  The  Super  Soldier  Serum.  It  enhances  everything.”</p><p>Your  eyes  began  to  narrow.</p><p>“Muscle  growth,  strength,  agility,  my  ability  to  learn…it  would  be  reasonable  to  assume  my  designation  would  be  effected  too.”  His  Alpha  Designation  had  been  impacted.  He  knew  that  for  a  fact.  It  took  considerable  effort  for  him  to  keep  things  under  control on  a  daily  basis.</p><p>You  took  in  what  he  told  you.</p><p>You  could  barely  believe  it.  The  two  of  you  hadn’t  even  gone  out  on  an  official  date.  Sure,  there  had  been  some  heavy  petting.  “Steve  we  haven’t  done  anything  yet.  Serum  or  not,  how  is  it  even  possible?  It  shouldn’t  happen  unless  one  of  us  bites  the  other  one.  In  the  two  years  I  was…bonded,  it  never…”</p><p>Steve  didn’t  want  to  hear  about  that  so  he  reached  out  to  grab  your  hands,  knowing  it  would  distract  you.</p><p>“Has  anything  been  happening  to  you,”  you  demanded.</p><p>He  hesitated.</p><p>He  hesitated  and  your  heart  dropped.</p><p>You  jumped  up  to  your  feet.  Steve  followed  you  to  his  feet  on  instinct  alone.  Your  name  fell  from  his  lips  in  a  soft  plea.</p><p>“Why  didn’t  you  say  something!  How  long  has  it  been  going  on?  How  long  have  I  been  bothering  you?”</p><p>He  didn’t  dare  say  it.  Since  the  two  of  you  and  Tony  were  in  the  elevator  during  the  great  llama  negotiation.  He’d  been  smelling  you  all  the  time.  On  the  nights  that  he  slept  in  the  hallway  outside  your  apartment,  he’d  been  having  your  nightmares  too.  He  had  woken  up  each  night  in  a  cold  sweat  with  a  shout.</p><p>Your  agitation  was  rising.  You  were  getting  frustrated,  you  were  getting  downright  angry.  You  smelled  delicious.  </p><p>“Steve,”  you  shrieked  his  name.</p><p>His  body  was  beginning  to  react  more  so  than  usual  to  you.  “You  don’t  bother  me.  I  told  you  that  you’re  mine.  How  many  times  do  you  need  to  hear  it?  I  can  wait  however  long  it  takes  for  you  to  be  ready,  but  don’t  mistake  that  for  a  lack  of  anything  on  my  part.”</p><p>Clearly  he  must  have  lost  his  mind.  Your  eyes  went  wide  and  your  mouth  dropped.  You  could  not  believe  he  went  there,  maybe  he  had  a  head  injury  or  something.  “Oh  my  God  you’re  serious!  You  are  Captain  America,  the  paragon  of  virtue,  epitome  of  male  Alpha-hood.”  Or  whatever  they  were  calling  it  these  days.  Pepper  was  right.  You  should  have  known  better  than  to  play  with  fire.  This  was  way  too  much  and  he  was  Steve  Freaking  Rogers,  there  was  no  way  you  could  live  up  to  those  expectations.  He  began  to  say  something.  However,  you  were  having  none  of  it  and  with  a  flourish  of  your  hands,  you  stepped  back.  You  then  pointed  at  him  in  what  could  be  construed  as  a  moderately  threatening  manner.  “Don’t  make  that  face  at  me!  You  deserve  better  than  whatever  is  left  of  me  and  you  know  what  else…”</p><p>That  else  never  came.</p><p>Steve  was  done.  If  Steve  thought  he  had  a  headache  before,  that  headache  was  now  standing  in  front  of  him  more  than  half  hysterical.</p><p>He  found  himself  far  more  aroused  than  he  should  have  been  too.  His  stealth  suit  was  becoming  very  uncomfortable.  He  was  annoyed.  So  annoyed  he  hadn’t  even  realized  he’d  barked  at  you  in  that  tone,  that  exact  voice  that  had  silenced  you  almost  instantly.  Granted  you  were  glaring  at  him  with  what  could  only  be  described  as  murderous  intent.  You  were  submitting  so  beautifully  to  him  too.  If  only  you  hadn’t  been  looking  at  him  like  you  wanted  to  filet  him  like  a  fish.</p><p>Steve  clenched  his  fists  and  oh  so  deeply  breathed  through  his  nose,  “Don’t  say  that  to  me.”</p><p>“Don’t  tell  me  what  to  do!”</p><p>He  stepped  closer,  his  voice  getting  lower,  again  he  used  that  tone  on  you,  silencing  you.  Your  deeply  ingrained  need  to  obey  quieted  you. </p><p>“Omega…”  His  voice  rolled  over  you  like  hot  water  in  a  shower.  Paired  with  that  feeling  of  terror  and  grief  sprinkled  with  shame  deep  in  your  core,  it  was  a  weird  sensation  for  you  to  stomach  and  before  you  realized,  you’d  smacked  his  arm  in  a  desperate  need  to  release  some  of  that  sickening  feeling.</p><p>Twice  you  smacked  his  arm,  his  bicep  actually.  It  hurt  your  hand  more  than  anything.  But  that  pain  felt  better  than  what  festered  in  you.</p><p>Steve  could  practically  smell  it  on  you.  </p><p>He  didn’t  think  you  knew  there  were  tears  in  your  eyes,  or  just  how  much  the  wildly  conflicting  pheromones  coming  off  you  were  both  confusing  and  frustrating  for  him.  He  wanted  to  yell  at  you.  He  wanted  to  hold  you.  He  wanted  to  comfort  and  assure  you  of  just  how  much  he  wanted  you  and  how  much  you  already  meant  to  him,  how  worthy  you  were.  Plus  there  was  a  need  to  claim  you  as  his  on  the  arm  of  his  uncomfortable  couch,  so  you  could  know  who  you  belonged  to  now  and  not  have  all  those  deceitful  feelings  you  were  putting  off.</p><p>When  your  small  hands  pushed  against  the  broad  wall  of  his  chest,  he  grabbed  for  them,  only  snagging  one  and  in  the  process  he  got  smacked.  You’d  smacked  him.  Not  hard,  you  weren’t  tall  enough  to  land  a  solid  blow.  It  was  enough  to  get  his  attention.  Natasha  frequently  hit  him  harder  when  training.  Natasha  however  never  looked  at  him  like  you  were  looking  at  him.</p><p>Natasha  also  never  grabbed  the  collar  of  his  suit  to  yank  him  down.  She’d  never  kissed  him  either.  </p><p>Granted,  he  wasn’t  about  to  refer  to  this  as  a  kiss.  </p><p>It  wasn’t  tender  or  sweet.  You’d  just  found  a  new  way  to  argue  with  him  and  Steve  was  firmly  in  agreement.  Your  mouth  continued  to  fight  with  him  with  rough  kisses,  nips  to  his  lips,  your  other  hand  sank  tightly  into  the  short  golden  hair  on  his  scalp.  Steve  had  to  struggle  to  kiss  you.  Your  nails  in  his  hair  paired  with  the  overwhelming  smell  and  taste  of  you,  the  way  your  tongue  toyed  with  his  top  lip,  it  did  things  to  him.</p><p>Steve’s  only  real  thought  was  if  he  wanted  to  shove  you  over  the  arm  of  that  couch,  or  shove  you  up  on  his  desk.  Neither  were  that  comfortable  but  he  wasn’t  going  to  last  long  and  you  sure  as  hell  wouldn’t  be  lasting  as  long  as  him.  That  was  evident  when  you  sank  your  teeth  angrily  into  his  neck  and  began  to  suck  on  the  skin  in  order  to  mark  him.  If  you’d  been  three  inches  lower,  he  would  have  had  to  send  his  stealth  suit  out  for  cleaning  like  he  did  his  other  one.  </p><p>With  his  legs,  he  corralled  you  towards  the  couch,  hands  seemingly  everywhere  at  once.  Steve  touched  your  face.  He  held  you  tightly  against  him  and  greedily  explored  the  small  of  your  back  down  to  your  thighs  as  your  teeth  nipped  at  his  throat.  Your  own  fingers  yanked  fruitlessly  at  his  stiff  suit  collar.</p><p>He  shoved  you  back  so  hard  onto  the  small  office  couch  a  surprised  yelp  came  from  your  lips.</p><p>But  then  he  was  on  you.  </p><p>His  mouth  pressed  against  yours  and  demanded  entry.  His  teeth  nipped  at  your  lips  and  when  you  gasped,  his  hands  roughly  yanked  open  your  jeans.  In  a  desperate  hurry  to  get  them  off,  down  or  just  out  of  the  way,  you  had  the  zipper  open  in  a  flash.  Both  of  your  hands  went  over  to  the  leather  belt  on  his  tactical  uniform.</p><p>Off,  off,  it  had  to  come  off.</p><p>You  couldn’t  ever  remember  being  this  desperate  once  in  your  life.  Maybe  for  that  Japanese  restaurant  that  had  a  year  long  waiting  list,  definitely  not  ever  for  sex  though.  </p><p>Distantly  your  mind  wondered  if  it  was  that  serum.  Distantly  that  was,  you  could  have  cared  less.</p><p>With  a  loud  noise  the  belt  hit  the  floor.  That  was  followed  by  the  leather  straps  around  his  chest  that  he  shrugged  out  of  as  quick  as  humanly  possible.</p><p>You  were  so  desperate  that  maybe  it  didn’t  all  have  to  come  off.  You  kicked  off  your  heels  and  pushed  your  jeans  down  hastily,  all  the  way  to  your  knees.  In  that  short  window  Steve  had  managed  to  free  his  straining  erection  from  his  suit.  And  the  more  you  looked  at  that  suit…you  were  going  to  bet  it  was  one  big  piece  with  smaller  pieces  just  added  on  and  wasn’t  that  just  your  luck.  You  were  in  no  way  able  to  wait  for  him  to  get  out  of  that  thing.  There  was  a  legit  possibility  you’d  combust.</p><p>So  you  scrambled  over  onto  your  hands  and  knees,  on  a  couch  that  was  actually  more  uncomfortable  than  the  one  in  Banner’s  apartment.  “Now…please…please,”  you  softly  begged  before  he  could  even  ask  you  to  Present  yourself.  </p><p>Steve  gave  up.</p><p>He  was  super  ready  to  concede  defeat  in  his  hurried  attempt  to  get  undressed.  All  he’d  managed  to  do  was  get  the  top  collar  unattached  and  a  couple  of  pieces  of  armor  off  in  the  thought  to  make  you  more  comfortable.</p><p>Oh  you  were  Presenting  for  him.  On  your  knees  with  your  wrists  on  the  armrest  of  his  couch.  His  hand  traveled  over  the  curve  of  your  ass  making  you  whine.  Was  this  how  he  wanted  to  take  you  that  first  time?  Not  really.  But  he’d  make  it  up  to  you  when  the  two  of  you  weren’t  so  desperate.  When  he  didn’t  let  the  super  charged  serum  rule  his  needs  and  impact  yours  too.  He  could  have  felt  bad.  He  knew  he  should  have  felt  bad.  But  he’d  just  given  up  too  much,  deprived  himself  of  too  much,  lost  far  too  much  to  let  something  else  he  so  desperately  wanted  slip  through  his  fingers.</p><p>A  curious  thought  of  what  you  tasted  like  flickered  through  his  consciousness.  Your  slick  had  saturated  your  pants,  he  could  see  that  as  he  put  a  knee  between  your  legs  and  on  your  jeans.  Slick  was  smeared  down  the  inside  of  your  leg  and  copiously  soaking  your  swelling  lips.</p><p>But  he  was  already  sliding  his  tip  along  your  folds,  soaking  himself,  making  your  fingertips  dig  into  the  upholstery.  </p><p>Later,  he  promised  himself.</p><p>Next  time,  he  internally  swore  as  he  lined  up  and  pushed  into  your  body.  He  didn’t  stop.  He  sank  in  until  your  thighs  were  pressed  against  his  and  his  tip  kissed  your  cervix.</p><p>A  deep  gasp  escaped  from  you.</p><p>You’d  never  been  that  full.  He  stretched  you  to  the  point  of  discomfort  and  even  being  so  aroused,  so  wet,  it  was  dancing  on  that  thin  line  of  pleasure  and  pain.  Your  gasp  was  followed  with  a  groan  as  you  adjusted.  The  fabric  of  his  pants  was  rough  against  the  backs  of  your  bare  thighs.  You  nearly  died  when  his  hand  snaked  around  your  waist  and  down.  His  wicked  fingers  began  to  stroke  your  clit  as  his  hips  began  to  move.</p><p>A  pitiful  noise  came  from  you  at  the  pleasure  he  was  pulling  from  you.  “Steve…I  won’t  last  if  you…do  that…”</p><p>In  response  he  began  to  stroke  you  with  his  thumb  as  his  hips  began  to  move  with  more  purpose,  more  power  as  he  became  more  and  more  sure  you  were  adjusting,  because  God  were  you  tight.  </p><p>“Good,”  he  grunted  with  an  experimental  tilt  of  his  hips,  one  that  sent  him  in  at  a  different  angle  making  you  cry  out.  You  were  going  to  come  a  lot.  You  were  already  so  close.  He  could  feel  you  tightening  around  him  so  deliciously.  He  wanted  more  though,  he  wanted  to  feel  you  come  on  him,  he  wanted  to  hear  every  noise  out  of  your  mouth.  </p><p>Viciously  he  stroked  you  until  you  climaxed  and  he  never  stopped  pumping  into  you,  or  stroking  you,  just  prolonging  your  orgasm  that  made  you  gasp  and  cry  out,  grip  the  armrest.  Your  little  body  milked  him  hungrily  and  he  never  stopped.  It  made  you  wetter  and  more  sensitive  which  pleased  every  last  bit  of  him.  He  was  quite  the  happy  Alpha.  His  usual  urge  to  breed  wasn’t  there,  not  yet  something  told  him.  </p><p>A  deeper  urge  beneath  the  surface  demanded  that  he  make  you  his,  make  every  Alpha  around  know  you  were  his  and  his  alone.  </p><p>He  would  make  sure  his  scent  lingered  on  yours  from  now  on.  He’d  be  sure  that  when  you  walked  around  tomorrow,  sore,  you’d  think  of  him.  Every  time  he  bottomed  out  inside  of  your  body  and  those  little  breathy  cries  came  from  you,  he  knew  you’d  feel  him  when  you  sat  down,  or  even  so  much  as  moved.</p><p>Steve  heard  his  name  fall  from  your  lips  desperately  and  followed  by  soft  profanities.  You  were  close  again.  It  made  him  smile.  Soon  he’d  be  able  to  read  your  body.  Soon  he’d  know  every  last  thing  you  enjoyed  in  bed,  every  sound  you  made  and  how  to  make  you  scream.  As  it  was,  he  was  noticing  the  way  you  gripped  his  cock  when  your  orgasm  was  building.</p><p>Good,  because  he  was  close  too.</p><p>You  actually  sort  of  gasped  and  wailed  and  cried  out  when  you  came  again.  It  was  too  much.  It  was  just  too  much.  You’d  only  come  back  to  back  once  on  your  own  and  that  was  an  accident  with  a  new  vibrator.  Now  wasn’t  an  accident.  Steve  had  pushed  you  into  a  second  one  with  his  fingers,  that  now  sank  into  your  thigh  as  you  pushed  him  into  climaxing  too.  You  gasped  and  saw  bright  new  colors  in  your  vision,  your  ears  may  have  even  rung  while  your  body  trembled  and  shook  from  the  overwhelming  pleasure.  </p><p>You  felt  him  too,  rub  up  into  you  as  he  shattered  against  you  and  sank  his  fingers  into  your  thighs,  so  deep  you  knew  you’d  have  bruises  by  that  night.  You  felt  him  twitch  inside  of  you  and  were  a  bit  surprised  to  feel  that  he  was  still  hard.  </p><p>A  gasping  breath  came  from  you  as  you  tried  to  recover,  gain  your  wits  back  and  such.</p><p>But  no,  you  were  correct,  Steve  leaned  forward  to  pepper  the  back  of  your  neck  with  kisses  and  he  was  indeed  still  erect.  You  were  even  about  to  ask  if  it  was  indeed  true  when  he  began  to  yank  on  your  shirt.  Before  you  knew  it,  boom,  it  was  gone.  </p><p>That  did  elicit  a  noise  from  you.</p><p>Clothes  were  coming  off?</p><p>Why  were  more  clothes  coming  off?  You’d  just  had  a  series  of  orgasms  that  very  likely  registered  on  the  Richter  Scale.  You  would  need  a  minute  before  you  could  walk  again.  </p><p>And  your  bra  was  not  only  popped  off,  but  flung  most  unceremoniously  across  the  office,  landing  on  his  desk.</p><p>“Steve…”  you  finally  managed  to  ask.  Right  before  he  pulled  out  of  you  and  your  body  seemed  to  miss  him  immediately.  A  little  noise  came  from  you  at  the  loss.  Another  noise  came  when  you  felt  things  begin  to  shift,  move,  drip  out  one  could  say.  “Oh  God…”  and  immediately  you  clamped  your  legs  together  and  looked  around  for  something,  anything,  before  you  made  a  mess  on  his  couch  or  him,  more  of  a  mess  anyway.</p><p>When  he  took  your  hand,  you  thought  he  understood  your  concerns.  That  thought  was  short  lived  when  Steve  pulled  you  onto  his  lap.</p><p>“Again  Omega…”  he  breathed,  your  eyes  widened  at  the  sight  of  him  still  painfully  rigid,  covered  with  your  slick  and  his  ejaculate.  His  blue  suit  was  stained  with  it  too.  You  would  have  felt  bad.  Really,  could  you  toss  it  in  your  washing  machine  and  God  how  was  he  that  hard  still?  Your  jeans  were  tangled  around  your  calves  and  your  slick  was  now  running  down  the  inside  of  your  leg.</p><p>Steve  reached  out  with  the  hand  not  on  your  arm,  lifting  you  onto  his  erection  and  ran  a  finger  up  the  inside  of  your  thigh.  </p><p>You  watched  him  put  that  wet  finger  in  his  mouth  like  it  was  covered  in  brownie  batter.</p><p>You’d  never  been  more  turned  on  in  your  life  and  found  yourself  lunging  forward,  grabbing  his  face  in  your  hands  and  kissing  him,  sinking  your  fingers  around  his  neck  as  you  tasted  the  both  of  you  on  his  lips.  A  heartbeat  or  two  later  he  was  back  inside  of  you.</p><p>***</p><p>Steve  was  inside  of  you  again.</p><p>Relentless,  almost  ruthlessly,  pounding  inside  of  you  as  if  it  was  his  sole  purpose  in  life.  Driving  you  towards  that  sweet  pleasurable  release  and  then,  you  knew  what  would  come  next.</p><p>Steve’s  Mating  Gland  had  quite  the  bite  on  it.  </p><p>Blood  was  smeared  at  the  base  of  his  neck,  around  his  throat  from  that  bite  and  the  ones  around  it.  Maybe  they  were  a  little  deeper  than  was  socially  acceptable.  But  you  wanted  to  see  it  for  more  than  the  hour  that  the  love-bite  you’d  left  on  his  neck  earlier  that  day  had  lasted.</p><p>You  could  still  taste  his  blood  as  you  clung  to  his  biceps.</p><p>He  rocked  your  body  with  every  powerful  movement,  pounding  you  into  your  nest  that  you’d  drug  out  of  your  closet  not  long  ago.  A  little  sea  of  pillows  and  blankets  paired  with  pillows  from  the  couch,  so  you  could  watch  a  movie  together.  Netflix  and  Chill  was  what  you  heard  Pepper  call  it,  who’d  read  about  it  online.  </p><p>There  was  nothing  chill  about  Steve.  </p><p>In  one  of  his  powerful  hands  he  held  your  ankle,  pushing  back  your  leg  so  he  could  go  even  deeper.  His  other  hand  gripped  your  breast,  thumbed  your  nipple  mercilessly,  making  you  squirm  on  top  of  the  gasps  and  cries  you  were  already  letting  out.  On  every  pump  in  he  was  hitting  your  clit  and  somehow  managing  to  rub  you  down  into  your  nest,  tormenting  you  further  with  hints  of  another  orgasm.  </p><p>Your  nest  was  going  to  be  filthy.  You  were  almost  positive  you’d  need  to  dump  half  a  bottle  of  bleach  in  the  laundry  with  it.</p><p>When  you  came,  you  were  loud.</p><p>You  couldn’t  help  it.  </p><p>You  shrieked  and  writhed  beneath  him.  Thank  goodness  the  apartment  was  sound  proof.  </p><p>You  knew  he  was  coming  from  the  desperate  way  he  pounded  you  into  the  mass  of  blankets.  But  then  as  your  body  rolled  through  the  most  intense  shudders,  his  hand  sank  up  into  your  sweaty  messy  hair.  Roughly  Steve  pulled  your  head  to  the  side  and  had  you  seen  his  eyes,  they  would  have  looked  wild.  Teeth  sank  into  your  Mating  Gland  so  suddenly  you  screamed.  </p><p>Steve  could  not  even  begin  to  help  himself,  not  with  your  bite  still  throbbing  so  wonderfully  on  his  neck.</p><p>He  bit  you  not  once  or  twice,  but  three  times,  making  you  shout  and  curl  against  him  in  pain  and  pleasure.  He  felt  your  muscles  milk  his  cock  still  inside  of  you  as  far  as  he  could  go.  He  bit  till  he  tasted  blood  each  time,  knowing  that  it  would  scar.  He  wanted  it  to  scar.  He  wanted  his  bite  to  be  the  only  one  anyone  could  see  and  as  your  nails  dug  painfully  into  his  sweaty  biceps,  he  began  to  soothe  you.  He  pressed  gentle  kisses  to  the  bites  and  rubbed  his  nose  and  cheek  against  the  bleeding  wound.  Finally  properly  scenting  you,  finally  able  to  calm  you  as  an  Alpha  could  their  Omega.</p><p>He  was  not  in  the  least  bit  surprised  when  you  relaxed  against  him,  eyes  closing,  breathing  slowing,  his  name  on  your  lips.</p><p>Ever  since  you  came  to  his  office,  he  hadn’t  let  you  rest.</p><p>He  took  you  several  more  times  in  his  office  until  the  two  of  you  got  dressed  and  returned  to  the  Hulk  Proof  Apartment.  Once  back,  he  had  you  chanting  his  name  against  the  door  before  the  two  of  you  had  eaten,  and  that  was  only  because  he  wanted  to  be  sure  you  were  taken  care  of  for  what  he  had  in  mind  later  that  evening.</p><p>Only  now  had  those  urges  quieted.</p><p>Panting,  he  looked  down  at  you,  drifting  off  with  blood  pooling  in  his  bitemarks.  Soon  you’d  stop  bleeding  and  start  clotting.  His  bites  weren’t  quite  as  deep  on  the  ones  you’d  delivered  which  made  him  smile.  </p><p>That  had  been  a  surprise.</p><p>He’d  wanted  to  wait  a  little  longer.  He’d  wanted  to  be  gentler.  Once  you’d  sank  your  teeth  into  his  Gland  it’d  been  over.  He’d  never  seen  it  coming  either.  Having  you  on  top  of  him,  riding  him,  hands  in  your  hair  and  touching  yourself  had  been  better  than  any  of  his  most  erotic  daydreams  involving  you.  But  then  you’d  leaned  down  and  licked  his  neck,  his  throat,  nibbled  on  his  pulse  and  bit  him.  He’d  come  almost  instantly  deep  inside  of  you.  </p><p>He  could  smell  the  two  of  you  on  your  nest.</p><p>He  could  smell  nothing  but  the  two  of  you.</p><p>Out  of  a  need  to  care  for  you,  he  pulled  a  blanket  over  both  of  you,  making  sure  that  you  were  covered.  There  was  no  way  you  could  get  cold  with  him  half  on  top  of  you,  but  it  was  something  that  he  needed  to  do.</p><p>Some  old  movie  was  on  your  TV,  that  he’d  only  realized  was  still  on,  when  he  started  to  notice  his  surroundings  again.  Since  there  was  nothing  short  of  dynamite  that  would  get  him  out  of  your  nest,  the  remote  could  stay  a  mere  few  feet  away.</p><p>Finally,  all  traces  of  consciousness  were  gone  from  you,  you  were  totally  limp  in  his  arms.</p><p>A  little  part  of  him  felt  a  distinct  loss  when  your  muscles  loosened,  released  him  and  he  slipped  out  of  your  wet  warmth.  Steve  glanced  around  till  he  saw  a  pillow.  Quickly  he  snagged  it  and  shoved  it  up  underneath  him  and  then  easily  pulled  your  resting  body  on  him.</p><p>Perfect,  he  could  hold  you  and  try  to  figure  out  what  was  on  the  TV.  </p><p>Steve  knew  he  wasn’t  going  to  be  sleeping  anytime  soon  and  you  were  finally  getting  the  rest  he  knew  you  needed,  which  left  him  content  in  a  nest  of  damp  sheets.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You  woke  up  squished,  sweaty  and  sore.</p><p>God  you  were  sore.</p><p>You’d  never  been  so  sore  in  your  life  after  partaking  in  carnal  delights.  You’d  never  fallen  asleep  afterwards  either.  Ok  sure,  you  weren’t  going  to  lie.  You  were  the  type  that  liked  to  have  a  shower  afterwards.  This  was  all  new  territory  for  you.  When  you  opened  your  eyes,  you  were  greeted  to  the  sight  of  a  massive  bicep  in  your  peripheral,  which  was  another  new  thing.</p><p>Who  would  have  thought  that  Steve  Rogers  was  a  cuddler.</p><p>Out  of  somewhat  mild  curiosity,  you  lifted  your  head  as  slowly  as  you  could  manage,  carefully,  so  as  not  to  wake  the  super  soldier.  You  peered  up  over  your  shoulder  to  see  if  he  was  asleep.  You  could  feel  his  chest  move  slow  and  steady  against  your  back.  Long  muscular  legs  were  entwined  with  yours.  Chances  of  you  sneaking  away  to  go  pee  were  minimal.</p><p>You  had  no  clue  what  time  it  was,  but  it  was  still  dark  in  the  apartment  minus  the  TV,  which  was  wanting  to  know  if  you  were  still  watching  whatever  had  been  on.</p><p>That  was  clearly  a  big  fat  no.</p><p>Blue  eyes  were  watching  you,  making  you  roll  your  own  eyes  and  sigh,  “Jezus…do  you  ever  sleep?” </p><p>God  was  he  heavy  too.</p><p>“You  talk  in  your  sleep,”  he  softly  informed  you  without  moving  an  inch.</p><p>Somewhat  surprised  as  well  as  concerned  by  this  announcement,  you  pushed  back  against  Steve  in  an  attempt  to  wiggle  yourself  out  from  under  him.  Seemingly  wise  to  your  tricks,  an  arm  that  was  resting  hidden  around  your  waist  tightened,  pulling  you  flush  against  the  front  of  him.  “It  didn’t  keep  me  up.”  </p><p>That  was  something  of  a  relief.  “Cause  of  the  serum?”</p><p>It  was  a  safe  guess.</p><p>Now  that  you  were  awake  and  he  apparently  was  too,  you  hesitated,  wondering  if  he  was  the  type  to  be  chatty  after  sex.  Which  probably  was  something  you  should  have  learned  before  you  lost  your  damn  mind,  became  over  run  by  pesky  feelings  and  emotions  and  then  bit  him.  When  you  tried  to  think  back  on  it  you  had  a  somewhat  clear  memory  of  discussing  it  for  weeks,  months  even  with  your  ex.  Surprisingly,  that  memory  was  getting  foggy.  And  not  just  because  Steve  pressed  his  pelvis  into  the  soft  curve  of  your  ass.  </p><p>His  hot  breath  tickled  your  ear,  “No…cause  you  keep  wiggling  against  me.”</p><p>A  hot  flush  swept  through  you  and  you  were  glad  you  weren’t  face  to  face  with  him.  You  just  knew  your  face  would  have  been  red.</p><p>Against  your  soft  backside  you  could  feel  how  hard  he  was,  which  solved  the  mystery  of  why  he  hadn’t  been  asleep.</p><p>Steve’s  hand  began  to  softly  stroke  the  soft  skin  of  your  stomach.</p><p>“Has  your  serum  ever  done  this  before?  With  an  Omega,”  you  asked,  finally  getting  the  courage  to  and  instantly  regretting  it  the  second  the  words  came  from  your  lips.  Totally  unsure  if  he  was  someone  who  was  chatty  afterwards  or  not.</p><p>Steve  could  pick  up  on  that  sudden  change  in  you.</p><p>It  wasn’t  your  scent.  It  was  the  way  you  began  to  slightly  stiffen  in  his  embrace.  It  was  your  tone,  it  dripped  with  uncertainty.</p><p>His  Alpha  could  have  picked  up  on  it  a  mile  away.</p><p>Softly  Steve  pressed  his  lips  to  the  back  of  your  head.  “Contrary  to  popular  belief  and  Tony…I’m  not  a  virgin.”</p><p>You  jerked  around.  Eyes  wide  as  your  mouth  opened  in  shocked  humor.  You’d  even  managed  to  not  only  pull  out  of  his  grip,  but  flip  yourself  into  an  upright  seated  position.  Not  that  it  lasted  for  long.  Something  wildly  inappropriate  was  on  the  tip  of  your  tongue.  A  syllable  or  two  might  have  even  come  out.  Up  until  Steve’s  hand  hooked  under  your  knee  and  yanked  you  back  down  beside  him,  onto  your  back,  it  made  you  moan  and  reach  out  to  grab  for  him.  You  weren’t  afraid.  You  were  just  drenched  in  him,  his  scent  and  warmth.  You  were  breathless,  you  were  dizzy.  When  you  looked  up  at  that  mouth  you  licked  your  own  lips  on  instinct  alone.  “I…I  assumed,  I  meant…”  and  then  his  hand  was  on  your  ribs,  drifting  higher.  “Have  you  ever  given  another  Omega  a  headache?”</p><p>Steve  knew  he  could  have  said  he’d  very  likely  given  plenty  of  people  headaches.  </p><p>However,  he  decided  that  he  didn’t  want  to  be  a  little  shit.  You  were  trying  to  be  serious.  The  least  he  could  do  was  be  serious  too.  At  the  most  he  decided  he’d  play  with  you.  He  couldn’t  touch  you,  be  a  little  shit  and  be  serious.  </p><p>“No,”  his  voice  was  soft,  his  thumb  stroked  the  underside  of  your  breast.  “I’ve  never  shared  a  headache  with  an  Omega.”  His  gaze  fell  on  your  throat.  Your  Mating  Gland  was  bruised.  Very  detailed  full  dental  impressions  were  red  and  swollen  from  where  he’d  bitten  you.  Blood  was  smeared  and  a  very  masculine  pride  filled  him. </p><p>You  were  his  now.  </p><p>No  one  would  take  you  away.  No  one  could  tell  him  that  he  couldn’t  have  you,  or  he  wasn’t  suitable,  or  was  too  sick  or  too  small.  No  one  could  take  him  from  you.  You  were  real.  You  were  right  beneath  him.  Steve  finally  had  that  missing  piece.  He  finally  felt  like  that  gaping  raw  part  of  him  was  filled.  </p><p>It  didn’t  hurt  him  anymore  just  to  look  at  you,  be  around  you  and  not  be  yours.</p><p>Steve  had  never  claimed  anyone  before.</p><p>Oh  sure,  he’d  been  with  Omega’s.  He’d  just  never  felt  that  feeling  that  told  him  they  were  HIS  Omega.</p><p>Before  you  were  his  Omega  and  now  you  had  the  proof  in  your  broken  flesh.  </p><p>Now  he  was  so  much  more  acutely  aware  of  you.  It  was  like  someone  had  just  turned  the  knob  up  from  ten  to  fifty.  However,  Steve  was  not  a  mind-reader.  And  as  he  stroked  his  thumb  over  the  soft  skin  of  your  breast,  he  could  not  help  himself  for  a  minute.  “You  bit  me.”</p><p>Again  you  blushed,  you  couldn’t  help  it.</p><p>In  that  moment  he  wasn’t  a  big  powerful  super  soldier.  He  was  the  old  Steve.  He  was  a  ninety-pound  weakling  whose  designation  was  questioned  by  everyone.  With  the  enthusiasm  and  possessive  nature  of  his  younger  hellraising  self,  Steve  leaned  down  to  sink  his  teeth  in  the  soft  tissue  of  your  breast,  draw  his  tongue  over  your  nipple,  tease  you,  mark  your  skin  there  too.  “Tell  me  why  little  Omega.”</p><p>You  couldn’t  help  it,  you  arched  your  back,  rolled  your  shoulders  under  his  mouth.  Your  fingers  sank  up  into  his  golden  hair.</p><p>God  that  felt  good.</p><p>If  it  were  even  possible,  it  felt  better  than  before…before  you  bit  him.</p><p>Your  name  was  hummed  from  Steve’s  sinful  mouth.  </p><p>Oh  right,  he’d  asked  you  a  question.</p><p>For  the  first  time  Steve  could  actually  pick  up  on  your  Omega  nature.  Before  it  had  just  been  scents,  perhaps  little  hints  when  he’d  antagonized  you.  He’d  got  quite  the  earful  in  his  office  when  you’d  attacked  him  with  your  lips.  That  had  been  quite  the  delicious  little  surprise.</p><p>You  were   beginning  to  twist  around  in  the  blankets.  He  knew  he  really  needed  to  stop  tormenting  you  so  you  could  actually  answer  his  question,  which  he  really  did  want  to  know  the  answer  to.  But  then  again,  seeing  you  spread  out  and  naked  beside  him,  head  cleared  from  before  and  his  mark  on  you.  He  was  already  smearing  his  arousal  along  your  leg.</p><p>Suddenly  he  was  eighteen  years  old  again  in  Brooklyn.  </p><p>You  just  stripped  him  down  to  the  bare  basics  and  he  wanted  nothing  more  than  to  scratch  that  itch.  If  there  was  one  thing  he  understood,  it  was  how  it  felt  to  live  in  a  body  that  didn’t  totally  feel  right  all  the  time.  His  designation  had  always  rolled  around  underneath  his  skinny  sickly  frame,  peppering  his  mind  with  ideas  Bucky  always  told  him  would  get  him  killed,  or  worse.</p><p>“Omega…”</p><p>Your  eyes  went  to  your  ceiling.  “You  feel  like  home.  You  look  at  me  like…I’m  the  most  perfect  thing  you’ve  ever  seen.  I  had  this,  this,  this  feeling  that  I  just  had  to  bite  you.  I  couldn’t  never  feel  that  way  again.  I  was  being  selfish.  Greedy.”</p><p>Oh  his  perfect  little  selfish  and  greedy  Omega.  </p><p>Steve  lifted  his  head.  His  blue  eyes  darkened  at  you  and  your  breath  caught.  </p><p>Your  scent  was  starting  to  change.  </p><p>It  was  subtle.  It  wasn’t  anything  major,  but  it  was  noticeable.  It  was  something  a  bit  richer,  more  complex.  As  if  someone  added  something  tangy  to  the  lemony  tea.</p><p>Lifting  his  head  from  your  breast,  Steve  rested  his  cheek  down  on  your  sternum.  “You  know,  I  was  thinking  that  you  needed  a  break.  I’d  convinced  myself  to  not  wake  you  up  and  let  you  rest.  But  then  you  go  and  tell  me  what  a  greedy  little  girl  you’ve  been  and  I  have  this  need  to  see  if  your  wet  for  me  still,  if  you  can  take  me  again.”</p><p>Your  heart  began  to  pound.</p><p>You  felt  his  arm  brush  your  thigh  and  without  even  thinking,  you  shifted  your  legs  so  he  could  feel.  </p><p>“You  are  the  most  perfect  thing  and  you’re  my  perfect  thing.”</p><p>When  you  felt  his  fingers  gently  spread  your  lips,  you  moaned.  When  those  fingers  traveled  higher,  you  found  that  you  were  indeed  more  than  ready  to  take  him.  Sadly  you  hissed  out,  a  bit  sorer  than  you’d  realized.  When  you  felt  Steve’s  hand  begin  to  withdraw,  you  clamped  your  legs  shut.  “Tease…”  you  whined.</p><p>He  smiled  then  pressed  his  lips  to  your  salty  skin.  “How  about  a  bath?”</p><p>Steve  knew  he  needed  to  talk  more  about  what  you’d  both  done.  He  needed  you  to  know  you  may  pick  up  on  some  of  the  things  he  was  feeling.  But  oh,  oh  how  he  wanted  to  play  with  your  body  more.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Wanda  looked  at  you  with  this  expression  of  absolute  horror.</p><p>You  nodded  that  it  was  true.</p><p>On  the  other  side  of  Wanda  stood  Natasha,  who  too  nodded,  “Look,  Wanda.  I’m  not  going  to  lie  to  you.  You  just  have  to  learn  it  for  the  test  and  then  you  can  forget  all  about  it.”</p><p>The  youngest  Avenger  next  to  Vision  looked  at  you  with  that  horrified  expression  that  broke  your  heart.</p><p>“I’ve  never  had  to  do  it,”  you  confirmed,  pushing  your  tray  along  the  metal  rails  in  the  cafeteria  line.  </p><p>You  couldn’t  explain  it.</p><p>You  were  starving.  Your  appetite  had  kicked  up  a  few  notches.  After  you’d  gotten  up  and  took  a  shower,  you’d  eaten  two  bagels  with  all  the  cream  cheese,  an  orange  and  after  getting  to  your  office  you’d  swung  by  the  breakroom.  You’d  annihilated  the  box  of  granola  bars.  You’d  drank  a  bottle  of  water  and  took  the  pot  of  coffee  into  your  office.</p><p>Two  hours  later  you  were  hungry  again.</p><p>Steve  had  given  you  a  headache  yesterday.  Had  he  made  you  hungry  too?</p><p>If  so,  you  were  going  to  have  to  talk  to  him.  It’d  been  two  hours  and  you  were  ravenous.   </p><p>Sure,  it  could  have  been  from  being  up  most  the  night,  being  together.  It’d  been  a  first  for  you.  While  your  memories  of  your  old  Bondmate  were  somewhat  hazy,  like  it  had  happened  decades  ago  and  not  years.  You  remembered  enjoying  sex.  You  couldn’t  ever  remember  your  previous  Alpha  being  so  insatiable.  You  were  exhausted.  It  felt  like  you’d  been  in  a  cage  fight  with  an  MMA  fighter.  Every  step  you  took  you  felt  the  tenderness  in  your  thighs,  deeper.  When  you  sat  down  too.</p><p>The  young  Omega  between  you  and  Natasha  gripped  her  New  York  Drivers  Guide.  </p><p>Natasha  pointed  to  the  soup  of  the  day  she  wanted,  Minestrone.</p><p>You  pointed  to  the  Mac  and  Cheese.</p><p>“But  Captain  Rogers  said  it  is  vitally  important  for  me  to  learn  to  drive.  He  says  everything  on  the  test  is  a  must  know  for  every  safety  conscious  driver.”</p><p>You  rolled  your  eyes  at  that  and  motioned  for  the  lunch-dude  to  keep  on  with  more  cheesy  pasta  goodness.  “Captain  Rogers  rides  a  motorcycle  for  Christs  sake…”</p><p>You  then  gave  the  Alpha  beside  you  a  look,  he  was  too  close,  way  too  close.  He  was  in  your  space,  your  bubble.</p><p>Natasha  was  having  none  of  it  either.</p><p>She  motioned  at  the  white-haired  lady,  who  was  all  of  three  hundred  years  old,  behind  the  safety  glass.  Yes,  Natasha  did  want  garlic  bread.  Her  little  white-haired  comrade  slipped  her  an  extra  piece  under  her  grilled  chicken  Caesar  Salad.  “Steve’s  full  of  shit.  I  have  literally  seen  him  push  a  car  out  of  the  way  so  he  could  fit  in  a  parking  spot.”</p><p>The  Alpha  to  your  right  was  inching  closer,  doing  his  best  to  get  the  attention  of  the  dude  loading  you  up  with  Mac  and  Cheese.  </p><p>“You  want  garlic  bread,”  dude  inquired.</p><p>What  kind  of  a  question  was  that?  “Of  course  I  want  garlic  bread.”</p><p>Never  had  you  ever  been  this  hungry.</p><p>Wanda  seemed  surprised  to  learn  this,  she  blinked  then  glanced  at  her  drivers  manual.  “Have  either  of  you  ever  parallel  parked?”</p><p>You  snorted.</p><p>“Oh  please…just  keep  driving  till  you  find  a  better  spot.  You  just  have  to  learn  how  to  do  that  to  pass  the  test  Wanda.  After  that,  you’ll  never  use  it  again.”  Natasha  assured  her,  noticing  how  close  middle-aged  Alpha  was  getting  to  you  as  you  stepped  forward,  closer  till  you  were  pressed  against  the  metal  rail  to  get  distance  from  him.  Next  she  was  going  to  give  him  a  piece  of  her  mind.  First  though,  Wanda.  “Every  woman  should  know  how  to  drive.  You  never  know  when  you’ll  need  this  skill.  It’s  like  knowing  how  to  build  a  fire,  or  field  strip  a  gun,  or  rappel.”</p><p>You  nodded  in  total  agreement  and  then  you  felt  it.  He  was  still  trying  to  get  your  dude-bro  in  the  hairnets  attention.  </p><p>You’d  been  doing  so  good  that  day.</p><p>A  new  sense  of  calm  had  seemed  to  fill  you.  You  hadn’t  been  as  tense  as  usual,  as  on  edge.  Aside  from  being  inordinately  hungry,  you’d  felt  content.  Sure  you  noticed  that  people  had  steered  clear  of  you  more  so  than  usual.  You’d  just  assumed  it  was  because  you’d  been  drinking  coffee  through  a  straw  straight  out  of  the  pot.  You  weren’t  about  to  test  your  boundaries  and  go  Black  Friday  Shopping,  but  that  underlying  fear  that  had  seemed  to  stick  to  you  wasn’t  so  overpowering.</p><p>And  then  you  felt  him  press  up  against  the  side  of  you.</p><p>It  was  harmless  you  told  yourself.</p><p>He  was  just  in  a  hurry  to  get  his  lunch.  There  was  no  need  to  panic,  you  repeated  to  yourself  as  that  familiar  cold  sweat  broke  out  over  you,  as  your  heart  began  to  pound  violently  and  your  ears  began  to  ring.</p><p>You  were  not  going  to  scream.  You  were  not  going  to  have  another  emotional  event.</p><p>Just  as  you  began  to  tremble,  he  called  out  what  he  wanted  for  lunch.</p><p>There,  that  wasn’t  so  bad.  Your  fingers  tightened  on  the  tray  painfully  and  then,  he  wasn’t  leaning  so  heavily  on  you.  Your  body  shook  but  you  hadn’t  made  a  noise,  you  didn’t  feel  dizzy  or  like  you  were  going  to  throw  up.</p><p>Ok  sure,  there  was  a  chance  you’d  broken  a  nail  in  squeezing  the  life  out  of  your  tray.</p><p>But  this  was  ok,  this  was  progress,  this  was  absolutely  horrible  but  it  was…</p><p>…he  was  leaning  on  you  again,  leaning  against  you  more  to  point  out  just  what  piece  of  salmon  that  he  wanted…</p><p>…an  elbow  rubbed  into  your  arm.</p><p>Clint  was  right.  </p><p>These  things  just  happened.</p><p>The  discomfort,  the  panic,  the  fear  and  disgust,  even  the  little  wee  bit  of  residual  terror  as  your  instincts  told  you  to  get  away  from  him.  All  of  it  made  you  let  go  of  your  tray  and  for  just  a  moment  in  time,  you  were  afraid  that  you  were  about  to  have  the  mother  of  all  meltdowns  in  the  cafeteria.</p><p>One  second  he  was  there,  leaning  against  you,  raising  his  voice  about  the  salmon  up  front  on  the  left  and  then…he  was  shouting  and  holding  his  face.</p><p>It  was  a  second  before  you  realized  you’d  elbowed  him.  </p><p>You  drove  your  elbow  up  into  his  nose  with  a  speed  you  hadn’t  known  you  possessed,  sending  him  stumbling  back.  </p><p>Yes,  you  knew  for  a  fact  that  you’d  elbowed  him  cause  your   elbow  really  hurt.</p><p>In  horror  you  stared  as  he  stumbled  back,  a  safe  distance  away  from  you  for  a  refreshing  change  and  held  his  nose.</p><p>“Good  for  you,”  Natasha  remarked  as  Wanda  stared  with  wide  eyes  at  the  unfolding  scene.</p><p>Profusely  you  apologized.  You  handed  him  a  copious  amount  of  recycled  paper  napkins.  When  you  saw  blood  drip  onto  his  blue  polo  you  just  knew  you  were  in  for  another  day  long  weekend  HR  Class.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>You  knew  Steve  was  going  to  be  annoyed.</p><p>Call  it womanly  intuition,  an  Omega’s  connection  to  her  Alpha  or  maybe  the  sixteen  unanswered  texts  and  four  voicemails  he’d  left  on  your  phone  while  you  were  in  HR  before  you  just  turned  your  phone  off.</p><p>You’d  been  so  upset  after  helping  the  Alpha  staunch  the  bleeding  and  escorting  him  to  the  infirmary  that  you  couldn’t  bring  yourself  to  go  back  to  the  cafeteria.  After  you  got  done  up  in  HR,  you  just  went  to  your  office  and  holed  up  there  doing  paperwork  with  a  Coke  and  sleeve  of  crackers.</p><p>Since  Steve  was  away  from  the  compound  for  most  the  day,  that  gave  you  time  to  calm  down,  relax,  get  immersed  in  paperwork.</p><p>By  the  time  three  thirty-ish  rolled  around,  you  were  on  the  phone  with  Pepper  discussing  the  day  long  class  you  were  stuck  in  that  coming  Saturday.  At  this  rate  maybe  they’d  just  let  you  take  the  test.  You’d  been  in  the  class  enough  times  now  you  could  probably  teach  it.</p><p>“…in  that  case  we  should  just  do  dinner  and  a  girls  night  in,”  Pepper  insisted.  “I’ll  get  takeout  and  we  can  relax  upstairs.  Just  you  and  me.  Tony  showed  me  how  to  order  movies  on  that  new  system  he  put  in  the  TV.”</p><p>You  hummed  in  agreement,  “That  sounds  amazing.  I  need  a  girls  night  in.  I’ll  bring  my  pillows  and  knitting.”</p><p>A  noise  got  your  attention  as  you  typed  up  an  email,  oddly  enough  to  Pepper,  while  you  spoke  to  her  on  your  phone,  while  you  told  her,  “Hold  on  a  sec.  Someone’s  coming  in…”</p><p>“Ok,”  she  chirped,  sounds  of  typing  in  the  background  of  her  call  were  more  than  obvious.</p><p>You  watched  your  office  door  open  and  none  other  than  your  brand-new  Alpha  step  in.</p><p>An  unhappy  noise  came  from  you.  “It’s  just  Captain  Rogers.”</p><p>Over  the  phone,  up  in  her  own  office,  Pepper  made  an  equally  unhappy  noise,  “Ugh,  that  is  so  typical.”</p><p>Steve  knew  he  was  in  trouble  the  second  he  stepped  into  your  office.  He  didn’t  need  to  hear  Pepper’s  reply  to  your  referencing  him  by  his  rank  and  surname.  Which  he  did  hear.  All  traces  of  his  annoyance  from  you  ignoring  his  calls  and  texts  seemed  to  go  on  the  back  burner  as  he  took  in  his  Omega.</p><p>From  the  scowl  on  your  face,  the  dangerous  narrowing  of  your  eyes  and  the  pursing  of  your  lips  as  your  fingers  stopped  typing.  You  met  his  eyes  and  they  burnt.  Which  led  him  to  shutting  your  office  door  and  then  locking  it.</p><p>Immediately  you  reported  this  to  Pepper.  “I  gotta  go.  He  has  locked  himself  in  the  office  with  me.”</p><p>“You  call  me  when  he  leaves  and  tell  me  everything.”</p><p>Steve  had  the  suspicion  that  he’d  walked  in  at  an  unfortunate  time.  Not  that  he  was  about  to  retreat.  He  was  fully  committed,  especially  now,  when  it  seemed  that  there  had  been  some  sort  of  discussion  about  him  and  very  possibly,  your  new  bond,  with  Pepper.</p><p>Your  eyes  never  left  his,  “Mmmhmm,  you  know  it.”</p><p>Pepper  answered  with  a,  “Mmmm.”</p><p>Then  you  hung  up  your  office  phone.</p><p>Now  Steve  knew  a  situation  such  as  the  one  he  found  himself  in  needed  to  be  handled  with  great  care.  He  knew  he  should  have  told  you  that  there  was  a  chance  his  serum  would  maybe  affect  you  as  your  Bond  took,  settled  in,  as  the  two  of  you  became  accustomed  to  one  another.</p><p>He  knew  you  were  different  from  other  Omegas  and  not  like  the  female  lead  in  those  Hallmark  movies  Wanda  had  recently  become  enthralled  by.  Your  hormones  were  different  from  Omegas  your  age.  You  still  weren’t  putting  out  any  that  told  him  you  were  remotely  ready  to  breed.  Now  he  could  pick  up  on  it  better.  It  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  office  gossip-mill  that  he’d  become  aware  of.  Crossbones  hadn’t  broken  you.</p><p>Instead,  it  was  all  self-preservation.</p><p>Your  little  Omega  had  lashed  out  at  him  so  viciously  yesterday  and  so  desperately.  Vicious  in  a  primal  need  to  protect  you  from  more  pain,  from  Alphas  who  had  so  badly  let  you  down  and  hurt  you.  But  desperate  because  every  Omega  needed  to  have  that  connection,  that  bond,  it  was  biology  and  Tony’s  friendship  wasn’t  enough  anymore  now  that  you  had  the  blonde  Alpha.</p><p>Even  now  he  could  pick  it  up.</p><p>It  wasn’t  just  your  scent  that  was  so  you,  yet,  him  too.  He  could  see  it  in  the  way  your  body  began  to  tremble.  You  were  trying  so  hard  to  be  strong,  indignant.</p><p>He’d  been  surprised  when  he’d  heard  you’d  hit  someone  in  the  cafeteria.</p><p>He’d  been  less  surprised  when  he  heard  it  was  an  Alpha.</p><p>When  Natasha  had  messaged  him  to  tell  him  what  happened,  he’d  been  taken  aback.  He’d  been  with  Tony  but  knew  there  was  something  afoot.  He  could  feel  himself  getting  tense  for  no  particular  reason.  </p><p>You  were,  as  he’d  heard  Sam  proclaim,  shooketh.  </p><p>Steve  didn’t  want  you  to  be  like  that,  to  ooze  with  guilt,  agitation  and  self-loathing.  This  led  him  to  take  action. </p><p>“Oh  good…you  are  familiar  with  the  complex  workings  of  the  telephone.”</p><p>You  fought  the  powerful  sudden  urge  to  hurl  your  office  phone  at  your  Bondmate.</p><p>When  Steve  approached  in  what  looked  like  workout  clothes.  An  Under  Armor  shirt  that  looked  to  be  a  size  too  small  and  loose  athletic  pants.  The  sight  of  him  alone  was  enough  to  calm  you.  He  could  have  been  wearing  a  black  trash  bag.  But  he  wasn’t  and  he  looked  good  enough  to  eat.  Not  that  you  were  about  to  let  the  way  he  made  that  shirt  look  indecent  deter  you.  You  and  Pepper  had  been  discussing  this  at  length.  You  let  that  remark  roll  right  off  you.  Not  so  much  like  water  off  a  duck’s  back.</p><p>“Oh  there  he  is…my  treasure,  light  of  my  life…”</p><p>Steve  approached  you.  He  came  around  your  desk  and  you  pushed  your  wheeled  chair  back.  You  had  more  for  him.  You  were  enraged.  You  and  Pepper  had  been  dissecting  everything  that  had  gone  on  that  day.  Before  anything  else  could  come  from  your  mouth  he  picked  you  up.  Steve  grabbed  your  waist  with  his  hands  and  just  lifted  you  up,  like  you  were  nothing.  With  a  gasp  you  were  deposited  on  your  desk,  your  hands  went  down  to  brace  yourself  even  though  deep  down  you  knew  he  wouldn’t  drop  you.  </p><p>“Which  elbow  is  it,”  Steve  wanted  to  know.</p><p>You  defiantly  held  up  the  offending  elbow  for  him.</p><p>His  blue  eyes  just  blazed  as  he  pushed  your  sleeve  up  to  get  a  look  for  himself.  He  just  needed  to  see  it.  Natasha  told  him  you  were  ok.  Natasha  had  also  told  him  you  broke  the  nose  belonging  to  an  Alpha  named  Jason,  whom  Steve  was  going  to  go  visit  in  the  very  near  future.</p><p>Your  elbow  was  already  purple  from  bruising.  It  hurt  like  the  devil.</p><p>He  pressed  his  lips  to  your  bruised  flesh  but  those  eyes  of  his  continued  to  stare  down  at  you,  deep  into  your  soul.  It  was  Steve  but  it  wasn’t,  you  were  looking  at  a  something  down  deeper  than  his  bulk  and  the  star  on  his  chest.  </p><p>“I’ve  never  hit  anyone  in  my  entire  life,”  you  told  him.</p><p>Steve’s  gaze  remained  on  you  before  he  smoothed  his  fingers  over  your  elbow.</p><p>At  first  he  wasn’t  sure  what  to  say.  At  least  a  dozen  different  things  had  gone  through  his  mind  on  the  ride  back  to  the  compound.  Once  he  set  eyes  on  you,  saw  you,  smelled  you,  all  that  just  evaporated.  “Natasha  said  your  form  was  perfect.  You’re  a  natural.”</p><p>You  rolled  your  eyes  and  fidgeted  back  on  your  desk.</p><p>When  Steve  leaned  forward,  he  pinned  your  legs  against  the  side  of  said  desk.  </p><p>“I  have  to  go  to  another  HR  class  this  weekend.”</p><p>What  came  from  Steve’s  mouth  shocked  you.  “Why  was  he  touching  you?”</p><p>You  were  surprised.</p><p>His  tone  was  hard.  “No  one  should  be  touching  you  if  you  don’t  want  to  be  touched.”</p><p>That  tone  was  not  one  you  expected  to  come  from  Captain  America.  Those  words  were  a  big  maybe  in  your  book,  but  not  his  cold  tone.  </p><p>Natasha  told  him  that  you’d  been  uncomfortable,  crowded  even.  You’d  been  clearly  distressed  but  before  she  could  step  in,  you’d  elbowed  the  Alpha.  You’d  hit  the  man  hard  enough  to break  his  nose  beautifully,  in  her  words.</p><p>“Omega…”</p><p>You  nodded  in  agreement.  Hearing  Pepper  say  those  words  was  one  thing,  but  him,  Steve,  America’s  Man  with  a  Plan,  it  made  them  more  real.  Your  eyes  went  down  but  when  he  said  your  name,  they  rose  back  up.</p><p>“Look,  I  don’t  know  if  you  hit  him  because  of  me  influencing  you  now.  Maybe.  It  took  me  a  while  to  get  used  to  my  new  body  after  I  was  given  the  serum.  It’s  going  to  take  both  of  us  time  to  get  used  to  this  new  change.  But  I  do  know  that  you  should  feel  safe  here.”  Steve  popped  a  button  on  your  blouse  and  then  another  button.</p><p>Your  Mating  Gland  was  surrounded  by  bruises  but  so  beautifully  marked  up  with  his  bites.  </p><p>Your  voice  was  small,  soft.  “You’re  not  mad?”</p><p>Both  his  hands  wound  up  on  the  desk  on  either  side  of  you.  He  leaned  down,  brushed  his  nose  to  your  neck,  brushed  his  mouth  over  your  pulse,  over  your  bruised  Gland  that  was  marked  with  his  bites.  “I’m  not  mad.”  He  scented  you.  It  calmed  you  until  all  you  could  smell  was  him.  It  soaked  into  you,  wrapped  around  you  like  a  blanket.  He  placed  soft  kisses  on  his  bites.  </p><p>The  next  thing  you  knew,  you  were  touching  him.</p><p>Your  hands  brushed  over  his  silky  shirt,  your  fingers  gripped  the  fabric.  </p><p>“Nat  said  this  happened  around  noon.”</p><p>Somehow  this  statement  seemed  odd.  You  nodded  even  though  you  hadn’t  been  keeping  total  track  of  the  time.</p><p>“I  was  pretty  annoyed  around  then  so  you  may  have  been  spurred  on  by  me,”  Steve  huffed,  taking  as  much  comfort  from  your  scent,  the  feel  of  your  soft  skin  as  you  were.  Before  you  could  even  ask,  he  confessed,  “Tony  and  I  had  a  meeting  with  General  Ross  around  that  time.”</p><p>Your  reaction  was  almost  immediate.</p><p>You  were  surprised.</p><p>You  pulled  back  to  look  at  him.</p><p>“He’s  been  asking  to  meet  with  you  to  talk  about…you  know,  but  Tony’s  been  stalling  him  pretty  successfully.  He  brought  me  today  to  impress  upon  the  general  that  you  have  no  interest  in  speaking  with  him  about  your  time  with…you  know  who.  I  got  pretty  riled  up.”</p><p>You  couldn’t  help  yourself,  “Did  you  hit  him?”</p><p>A  little  smile  flickered  on  Steve’s  mouth  for  just  a  flash  of  a  second.  “Honestly,  I  really  wanted  to.  But  I  can  control  myself.”  </p><p>What  Steve  didn’t  mention  was  he’d  had  to  drag  Tony  out  of  the  restaurant  when  Tony  tried  to  hit  General  Ross.  Steve  was  perhaps  a  bit  distracted  by  the  lacy  cup  of  your  bra.  Red  with  glittery  tigers.  It  caught  his  eye  and  had  him  unbuttoning  your  shirt  to  look  closer  at  the  masterpiece  in  modern  lingerie  design.</p><p>“This  is  controlling  yourself?”</p><p>Another  button  came  undone  as  his  fingers  spanned  the  two  padded  cups.  “Tell  me  no.”</p><p>You  did  not.</p><p>You  quirked  your  head  to  the  side  and  rested  back  on  your  hands,  palm  down  on  the  desk.</p><p>“Tell  me  to  stop.”</p><p>You  did  not.  Instead  you  watched  his  thumbs  pull  down  on  the  cups  of  your  bra  as  Steve  rested  his  forehead  to  yours,  peering  down  into  the  red  interior  of  your  bra  where  your  breasts  were  contained.  On  the  soft  skin  of  your  breasts  were  little  marks,  bruises  and  even  some  teeth  impressions.</p><p>“Does  that  turn  you  on?  Seeing  your  marks  on  my  body?”  Your  voice  sounded  so  much  calmer  than  you  felt.  Inside  you  were  twisting  up  with  heat  and  a  slow  coiling.  “You  left  marks  on  my  thighs  too.  And  my  hips.”</p><p>His  gaze  traveled  to  find  a  challenge  in  yours.  Which  sent  his  hands  to  your  waist  to  unbuckle  that  incredibly  thin  black  belt,  which  had  to  be  more  stylish  than  functional  in  Steve’s  honest  to  God  opinion.  Your  hands  remained  on  the  desk,  leaving  him  to  get  it  unbuckled  on  his  own.  Your  grey  slacks  were  next.  He  had  them  unbuttoned  in  a  flash  and  when  you  lifted  your  hips,  you  could  feel  the  tender  soreness  from  your  core  and  lower.</p><p>On  the  other  hand,  watching  him  pull  your  pants  down  around  your  ankles  and  plop  down  in  your  office  chair,  sort  of  drew  your  focus  away  from  the  mild  discomfort.</p><p>He  kept  your  attention  as  he  began  to  press  his  mouth  against  your  thighs,  on  every  darkened  bruise  along  the  tops  of  your  legs  and  then  down,  where  he  further  held  your  interest.</p><p>“It’s  a  shame  you  heal  so  quickly.  That  broad  back  of  yours  would  look  so  good  marked  up  by  my  nails  Captain  Rogers.”</p><p>Steve  glanced  up  at  you.  He  had  that  look  in  his  eyes.  So  you  should  not  have  been  all  that  surprised  when  he  hooked  fingers  into  your  matching  red  panties  with  glittery  tigers,  then  tugged  them  down.</p><p>Again,  you  lifted  up  your  hips  to  aid  in  his  quest.</p><p>“Steve,”  he  told  you  firmly.</p><p>You  didn’t  give  an  inch  to  your  Alpha.  “Captain  Rogers  gets  more  of  a  reaction  from  you  though.  If  I  didn’t  know  better…I’d  say  you’ve  got  a  problem  with  the  good  Captain.”</p><p>Because  you  had  for  sure  noticed.</p><p>This  earned  you  a  blistering  look  and  then  with  a  pop  of  his  hands,  your  knees  were  pulled  forward  till  you  and  everything  you  sat  on  was  up  to  the  edge  of  your  desk.  A  couple  things  fell.  Not  that  you  cared.  You  didn’t  even  look  away  from  Steve’s  gaze  when  Janet  from  across  the  hall  knocked  on  your  door.</p><p>“Do  you  see  my  shield  here?”</p><p>No,  no  you  did  not  and  as  you  worked  not  hard  at  all  on  drowning  out  Janet,  you  watched  him  ease  between  your  legs,  press  his  lips  against  the  increasingly  sensitive  skin  high  up  inside  your  thighs.  “No,”  you  just  managed  to  breathe  out,  just  as  you  swore  you  almost  felt  him  touch  you,  where  you  most  want  to  be  touched.</p><p>“Say  it.”</p><p>You  breathed  out  his  name.</p><p>He  rested  his  elbow  on  your  thighs  to  spread  you  open  further,  “Louder.”</p><p>His  name  escaped  from  you  again,  louder.</p><p>Steve  felt  it  go  straight  to  his  groin  when  his  name  came  from  you.  No  he  didn’t  have  a  problem  with  his  role  as  Captain  America.  Did  he  want  to  hear  you  say  anything  other  than  his  name  when  it  was  just  the  two  of  you?  No.  Call  it  the  little  Steve  deep  within  him.  He  wasn’t  even  sure  he  wanted  you  calling  him  Alpha.  Steve,  it  had  to  be  Steve,  he  wanted  to  hear  that  come  out  of  your  lips  in  that  breathy  whisper,  that  way  you  groaned  his  name,  even  when  you  shrieked  it  at  him  while  annoyed.</p><p>That  woman  who’d  given  him  a  dirty  look  when  he  came  in  your  office  became  a  little  louder.</p><p>Good.</p><p>Without  a  doubt  he  suspected  she  fueled  the  office  gossip  machine.  She  would  undoubtedly  report  news  throughout  the  facility  that  you  were  Bonded,  that  you  were  indeed  his  and  if  he  were  a  betting  man,  he’d  put  money  on  the  fact  that  him  assaulting  her  nephew  would  work  its  way  into  the  subject  matter.</p><p>Drowning  out  all  the  noise  wasn’t  hard.  The  second  that  he  sank  two  fingers  into  your  folds  he  was  home.  A  growl  shook  his  chest  at  how  wet  you  were  getting  and  he  knew  in  that  second,  not  only  was  he  going  to  eat  you  alive,  but  he  needed  to  be  back  inside  of  you.  </p><p>Janet  was  going  to  have  all  the  material  she  could  dream  up.</p><p>Did  that  make  him  feel  bad?  Knowing  that  as  he  lowered  his  mouth  onto  you  and  got  lost  in  your  soft  perfect  body,  was  he  guilty  that  word  would  be  getting  around  that  Steve  Rogers  had  claimed  that  Omega  up  in  accounting  on  her  desk?  Again,  no.  Steve  wanted  that  word  getting  out.  He  wanted  everyone  to  know.  The  sooner  everyone  knew  maybe  the  respectful  bubble  of  space  that  seemed  to  encompass  him  would  extend  to  you.</p><p>Steve  could  feel  your  thighs  tense  beneath  his  fingers,  especially  when  he  swirled  his  tongue  around  your  clit,  sucked  on  it.  These  beautiful  breathy  noises  came  from  you  that  were  quieter  than  he  remembered.</p><p>Without  a  doubt  Janet  and  someone  else  were  outside  your  locked  office  door.  His  hearing  picked  up  sounds  of  whispering,  sounds  of  bodies  touching  the  door.</p><p>At  that  he  looked  up  to  see  your  eyes  squeezed  shut,  your  teeth  pressed  down  on  your  bottom  lip.  You  were  trying  so  hard  to  keep  quiet.  It  was  cute,  sweet  even.  A  thought  to  reach  up  and  pull  your  lip  free  crossed  his  mind.  Steve  didn’t  want  you  to  hurt  yourself.  But  then  a  better  thought  occurred.  He  flattened  his  tongue  to  sweep  along  all  of  you.  God  you  were  intoxicating.  He  was  now  painfully  hard  and  you  were  starting  to  really  give  him  slick.  Watching,  he  slid  a  finger  up  into  you,  just  loving  how  your  body  clenched  around  him.  A  second  finger  was  added  as  his  tongue  returned  to  suck  on  that  little  bundle  of  nerves,  just  how  he  remembered  would  get  you  to  your  peak.</p><p>His  second  finger  made  you  groan  and  fidget.</p><p>He  was  ruthless  in  his  work  to  make  you  as  wet  as  he  could,  Steve  didn’t  even  care  when  you  came  that  first  time.  You  needed  to  be  wetter.  Sure  you  could  have  taken  him.  But  that  wasn’t  enough  anymore.  </p><p>Finally  he  let  go  of  your  leg  with  his  free  hand.  </p><p>Only  so  he  could  reach  up  to  yank  your  bra  down.  Something  fabricy  sounding  ripped.  Steve  didn’t  care.  His  mouth  only  left  your  lips,  so  perfectly  flushed  and  wet  from  his  hard  work  long  enough  for  him  to  growl,  “Touch  yourself  Omega.”</p><p>Your  breathy  response  had  him  leaking  in  his  boxer  briefs.  “Yes  Alpha…Steve…”</p><p>Oh  you  were  such  a  good  girl.</p><p>You  were  so  close  too.  </p><p>Steve  could  not  wait  anymore. With  one  last  kiss  to  your  swollen  core,  he  was  up  on  his  feet.  He  kissed  your  mouth  which  tasted  like  you,  was  wet  from  you.  All  while  he  shoved  down  his  gym  pants  and  briefs  as  quickly  as  humanly  possible.  </p><p>Then  he  couldn’t  get  inside  of  your  body  fast  enough.  With  a  flick  of  his  wrist,  he  took  his  erection  in  hand  and  pushed  back  his  foreskin,  then  brushed  up  against  your  wet  entrance.  He  couldn’t  begin  to  express  how  much  it  pleased  him  when  your  legs  wrapped  around  him,  ankles  hooking  down  around  his  thighs.  Pushing  in  that  first  time  was  always  just  exquisite  and  watching  your  face  as  you  took  him,  absolutely  perfect.</p><p>Steve  wasn’t  stupid  or  inconsiderate.  </p><p>He  watched  your  face  and  paid  attention  to  your  body  for  hints  of  pain.  Unlike  yesterday,  you  were  tilting  your  pelvis  more,  your  hips  were  tightening  around  him  to  adjust  the  angle  that  you  took  him.</p><p>Well  that  wouldn’t  do  at  all.</p><p>Never  a  man  to  be  unable  to  adapt  or  overcome,  Steve  slid  his  hands  underneath  you  and  just  as  easily  as  before,  picked  you  up.  Although  that  time  he  sat  down  on  your  wheeled  chair.  The  one  that  you’d  switched  out  yourself  from  Tony’s  private  office.  Thank  goodness you  had,  your  old  one  would  have  never  supported  this  sort  of  work.</p><p>Your  hands  scrambled  around  your  Alpha’s  shoulders  on  instinct  alone.</p><p>And  then,  oh.</p><p>You  blinked  at  the  sudden  change,  the  few  inches  he’d  slid  in  from  the  new  position,  and  then  a  few  more.  You  weren’t  so  tender  this  way,  you  didn’t  feel  that  burn  from  yesterday’s  fun  time  friction.</p><p>“Better?”</p><p>A  nod  was  what  came  out  of  you,  oh  it  was  much  better,  so  much  better.</p><p>Ok  so,  you  weren’t  sure  where  to  put  your  hands  in  this  new  position.  Nothing  was  behind  you  and  your  legs  were  trapped  between  that  muscled  wall  of  his  back  and  the  chair.  It  was  very  likely  you  wouldn’t  fall  off.  </p><p>Calloused  hands  smoothed  over  your  thighs,  down  over  the  curve  of  your  hips,  down  to  your  bottom  and  then  you  were  being  moved  up  and  down.  “Play  with  yourself,”  your  BondMate  told  you.  </p><p>Steve  let  go  of  you  for  just  a  second  to  gently  move  one  of  your  hands.  Down  to  where  you  not  only  felt  your  clit,  but  how  different  your  body  was  with  him  inside  you,  stretching  you.  </p><p>Steve  was  proud  of  that  feat.  He’d  never  felt  so  fucking  hard  in  his  entire  life.   And  there  was  a  very  real  chance,  he  would  suffer  permanent  damage  the  longer  he  wasn’t  rubbing  you  up  and  down  on  his  length.</p><p>It  took  him  a  few  tries  to  find  that  perfect  angle.  </p><p>All  of  it  was  spectacular  for  him.  It  took  Steve  a  few  tries  to  get  the  position  where  you’d  gasp  on  the  way  down  with  your  eyes  fluttering,  only  to  whine  when  he  pulled  you  up  and  teased  his  bulbous  head  just  right.  Steve  watched  you  stretch  over  him  so  smoothly,  make  him  wet  with  your  slick  that  was  already  soaking  his  groin  and  sac,  making  downright  debauched  noises.  Every  time  he  pulled  you  down  till  there  was  no  space  between  the  two  of  you  at  all  was  like  heaven.</p><p>You  were  touching  yourself.  You  were,  you  really  were,  although  you  couldn’t  help  but  reach  down  to  feel  where  he  was  inside  of  you  too.  You’d  sneak  your  hand  down  to  feel  him  slide  in  and  out.  There  was  something  just  so  necessary  about  it.</p><p>He  moved  your  body  along  his  thick  veiny  member  with  ease.  He  watched  as  you  looked  down  between  your  bodies  and  watched,  your  mouth  open,  little  noises  escaping  with  every  downward  pull.  </p><p>Until  finally  he  had  to  look  too.  Holding  you  about  half  up  or  down  his  dick,  Steve  rested  his  forehead  to  your  damp  one.  </p><p>You  were  looking  at  him  inside  of  you.  You  traced  a  finger  along  the  side  of  his  erection,  slippery  from  your  combined  arousals.  When  he  pushed  you  back  down  to  the  root,  you  lifted  your  head.  You  kissed  his  forehead,  that  spot  between  his  eyebrows  and  then  the  bridge  of  his  nose,  twice.  </p><p>When  his  name  came  from  your  lips  so  perfectly,  he  forgot  all  about  everything  under  the  sun,  except  for  you  and  him  and  the  way  you  said  Steve.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve  woke  up  gasping  from  a  dream.</p><p>This  dream  left  his  sheets  a  damp  sweaty  mess,  his  heart  pounding  and  his  body  uncomfortably  aroused.  He  sat  right  up  in  the  still  dark  of  his  room  downstairs,  smelling  nothing  but  familiar  new  pheromones.  A  few  profanities  that  Tony  didn’t  think  he  knew  fell  from  his  lips.</p><p>That  spicy  musk  that  had  followed  him  around  for  nearly  a  century  was  changing  as  his  rut  approached.  </p><p>Steve  was  like  clockwork  in  more  than  one  way.</p><p>After  his  first  dream,  it  was  exactly  two  and  a  half  days  till  his  Rut  hit.</p><p>It  was  too  soon.</p><p>He  could  not  be  having  a  rut  now.</p><p>This  was  so  not  the  opportune  time  for  this  to  be  happening  to  him.</p><p>This  could  not  happen  to  him  right  now.</p><p>More  frustrated  than  anything,  Steve  ran  his  fingers  through  his  sweaty  hair  with  hands  that  trembled  from  the  memories  of  that  dream.  He  was  very  glad  he  hadn’t  gone  upstairs  after  working  so  late  on  mission  planning  with  Natasha.  </p><p>His  dreams,  when  he  was  able  to  sleep  during  his  rutting  cycle,  were  always  erotic.  Normally  he  could  ignore  them.  A  quick  shower  and  he  was  clean,  refreshed  and  everything  taken  care  of  with  minimal  mess.  His  ruts  had  never  been  an  issue.  He’d  had  just  a  handful  since  waking  up  from  the  ice.  His  dreams  always  had  a  faceless  Omega,  one  that  he  could  forget  about  by  the  time  he  finished  pleasuring  himself  in  the  shower.</p><p>Once  the  first  dream  hit,  he’d  get  in  touch  with  the  former  SHIELD  Agent  who’d  been  his  rut  partner.  </p><p>Obviously  that  was  no  longer  an  option.  That  was  terrifying.  His  rut  dreams  were  always  like  his  ruts.  They  were  always  unrestrained.  A  part  of  him  he  worked  hard  at  tapping  down  escaped  for  six  days  of  his  rut.  His  rut  partner  was  an  Omega  who  preferred  her  Alpha’s  to  be  rough.  It  wasn’t  something  that  he  was  proud  of.  Nor  was  it  something  that  anyone  knew  about.  When  his  ruts  hit,  it  was  like  he  became  possessed.  He  couldn’t  ever  remember  being  so  ravenous  before  the  serum.</p><p>He  had  to  go  see  Doctor  Cho.</p><p>Omegas  had  suppressants.  Surely  there  had  to  be  something  for  Alphas.</p><p>Just  the  thought  of  doing  to  you,  what  he’d  done  in  his  dream,  made  bile  rise  in  his  stomach.  If  there  had  been  anything  in  there,  he  would  have  been  physically  sick.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Doctor  Cho  was  surprised  to  see  Captain  Rogers  waiting  for  her  outside  her  office  bright  and  early.  A  steaming  travel-cup  of  Earl  Grey  in  one  hand  with  her  preferred  fruit  salad  from  the  cafeteria  in  the  other.  </p><p>He  looked  particularly  dapper  in  the  suit  he  wore  when  he’d  rescued  her  in  Korea  from  Ultron,  she  couldn’t  help  but  smile  when  she  set  eyes  on  him.</p><p>When  she  got  closer,  she  could  pick  up  hints  of  an  upcoming  rut  on  his  scent.</p><p>Yet,  he  was  one  of  the  few  Avengers  that  she  never  had  a  problem  with,  she  assumed  he  was  there  to  sign  out  on  light  duty  till  his  rut  hit,  which  would  be  in  two  and  a  half  days,  per  his  usual.  She  smiled  broadly,  keys  in  hand  to  unlock  her  office  door.  “Good  morning  Steve!  Fruit  salad  and  tea?  What’s  up?”</p><p>Not  only  was  she  an  Omega,  but  she  was  a  unbonded  one  too.</p><p>She  should  have  smelled  absolutely  irresistible  to  him.  She  should  have  smelled  like  a  treat  as  his  hormones  changed,  preparing  his  body  to  seek  out  a  female  to  mate,  breed,  father  pups.</p><p>He  didn’t  want  this  Omega.  Steve  wanted  his  Omega.  </p><p>Steve  wanted  his  Omega  like  he  had  in  his  dream.</p><p>“I  was  wanting  to  ask  a  few  questions.  If  you  have  some  extra  time  Doctor  Cho?  I  won’t  take  long.  I  promise,”  Steve  assured  her,  the  food  was  just  his  usual  gift  when  he  came  to  visit  the  doctor.  He  needed  to  take  care  of  people.  He  needed  to  look  after  the  Omegas  in  the  building.  It  had  been  in  him  since  he  could  remember.  It  was  why  he  was  so  protective  of  Wanda.</p><p>Wondering  briefly  if  her  office  was  a  total  mess,  or  just  a  disaster,  Doctor  Cho  flipped  the  light  on  then  peeked  in.  When  she  saw  it  wasn’t  so  bad,  she  motioned  for  him  to  come  in  and  was  somewhat  surprised  when  Steve  closed  the  door  behind  him.</p><p>Knowing  him,  she  wasn’t  worried.</p><p>If  it  had  been  any  other  Alpha  smelling  like  he  did,  she  would  have  been  concerned.</p><p>Doctor  Cho  wasn’t  afraid  of  Steve  Rogers.  She  took  the  fruit  cup  and  tea,  sat  down  in  her  computer  chair  and  turned  on  her  desktop.  “What  can  I  do  for  you?  Thank  you  by  the  way.  I  wasn’t  sure  if  I’d  have  time  to  swing  by  the  cafeteria.”</p><p>Steve  glanced  at  the  couch  covered  with  various  medical  journals  and  brochures  for  a  wide  assortment  of  medical  equipment.  She  was  always  getting  sent  things  by  companies  wanting  to  supply  the  Avengers.  No  Steve  didn’t  want  to  sit.  Nor  could  he  think  about  a  little  office  couch  the  same  way  again.  Not  when  the  thought  of  what  he’d  done  with  you  on  his  couch  went  through  his  mind.  What  he  wanted  to  do  to  you  again  on  his  couch.</p><p>Nope,  he  wasn’t  going  to  think  about  that,  not  in  front  of  Cho.</p><p>“Yeah,  sure,  no  problem,”  he  managed,  feeling  a  bit  confined  in  her  office  which  was  bigger  than  his,  but  full  of  so  much  stuff.  “Um…do  you  know,  or  have,  anything  that  could  suppress  a  rut?  Or  even  lessen  it?”</p><p>Doctor  Cho’s  eyes  widened.  Her  mouth  opened  into  a  small  little  o.  </p><p>Feeling  a  need  to  explain  himself,  Steve’s  eyes  found  his  boots  down  on  the  floor.  A  blush  began  to  rise  up  his  neck.  “I’m  newly  bonded…”</p><p>“Congratulations,”  was  Doctor  Cho’s  honest  response,  still  not  quite  understanding.</p><p>Steve  gave  her  a  little  smile  and  then  looked  at  her  computer  as  it  booted  up.  “Thank  you.”  His  hands  began  to  fist  before  they  found  his  belt,  “That’s,  that’s  why  I’m  here.  It’s  still  a  new  bonding  and  I  don’t  want  to  scare  her.  My  ruts  are…severe.  I  was  hoping  you  might  have  something,  anything,  please?  I’m  desperate.”</p><p>She  could  see  that  for  a  fact.</p><p>She  could  smell  it  too.</p><p>She  really  wished  that  she  could  help  him.</p><p>Steve  could  see  it  on  her  face  when  he  saw  that  look,  he  was  familiar  with  that  look  and  trudged  on.  “Could  you  maybe…put  me  in  a  coma  for  my  rut?”</p><p>Doctor  Cho  reared  back  at  the  suggestion.  </p><p>She  honestly  had  no  idea  where  to  start  with  any  of  this.  And  the  fact  that  Steve  of  all  people  would  ask.  “Have  you  spoken  with  your  Bondmate  about  your  rut?  Who  is  your  Bondmate?”</p><p>When  Steve  said  your  name,  Doctor  Cho  slowly  nodded  in  full  understanding.  She  blew  out  a  breath  and  then  gestured  at  a  chair,  that  had  a  box  on  it,  for  Steve  to  sit.  Which  he  did,  carefully  putting  said  box  on  the  floor.  Hoping,  praying,  begging  the  universe  for  some  sort  of  a  solution.</p><p>Even  then  she  needed  a  second  to  formulate  this  into  words.   As  this  was  a  first  for  Doctor  Cho.</p><p>Resting  her  elbows  on  her  thighs,  in  her  soft  blue  scrubs,  Cho  softly  explained,  “Steve  I  don’t  believe  I  could  put  you  into  a  medically  induced  coma  with  your  enhanced  characteristics.  It  would  be  highly  irresponsible  of  me.  It  would  be  unethical  of  me  to  medically  suppress  your  rut  too.  A  rut  is  drastically  different  from  a  heat.”</p><p>Steve’s  face  almost  lifted.  Not  at  what  she  said,  but  at  finding  out  it  was  possible.</p><p>Cho  noticed  this,  this  fueled  her  to  go  on.  “Suppressing  a  rut  will  lead  to  extremely  aggressive  behavior  when  the  course  of  drugs  leaves  your  system.  You’ll  be  moody  and  unpredictable  for  up  to  a  week  normally,  in  your  case,  maybe  longer.  Which  I  am  assuming  is  what  you  want  to  avoid  in  the  first  place?”</p><p>He  said  nothing  but  nodded.</p><p>“This  will  be  your  first  rut  with…”</p><p>Steve  nodded  in  the  affirmative.</p><p>“Have  you  just  started  presenting  symptoms  for  your  rut?”</p><p>Another  nod  came  in  response.</p><p>“Trying  to  interfere  medically,  or  pharmacologically,  with  nature  has  a  cost…and  in  this  case,  in  your  case,  the  cons  outweigh  the  pros.  I  would  speak  to  her.  You  can  always  stay  in  one  of  the  private  medical  rooms  if  you’re  that  concerned.  You  have  options,  it’s  still  early.  All  three  of  us  can  sit  down  and  talk  about  options  available  here  in  the  facility.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>It  was  just  after  lunch  when  Steve  managed  to  accidentally  run  across  you.  Coming  out  of  an  elevator  of  all  places.</p><p>You  were  listening  to  Tony  with  THAT  look  on  your  face.</p><p>He’d  seen  it  on  Pepper’s  face  a  number  of  times.</p><p>Whatever  Tony  was  selling  you  weren’t  buying.</p><p>Steve  had  a  solid  twenty,  maybe  thirty  minutes,  before  he  had  a  briefing  about  the  upcoming  Avenger’s  mission.  A  mission  that  it  looked  like  he  very  well  could  miss  due  to  his  rut,  which  was  just  further  needling  him.  It  wasn’t  that  he  didn’t  trust  Natasha  to  take  the  lead.  He  trusted  the  red  headed  super  spy  with  his  life.  He  just  resented  being  sidelined  by  his  own  biology.  </p><p>There  was  absolutely  no  way  he’d  be  able  to  focus,  not  now.</p><p>Not  when  you  had  on  that  black  pencil  skirt  that  clung  to  you  downright  indecently.  Those  black  pumps  that  changed  your  posture  just  so.  Your  long  sleeve  shirt  was  modest  with  a  high  collar  and  still,  Steve  already  had  a  semi  and  he  couldn’t  even  smell  you  yet.  All  the  scents  from  everyone  else  were  almost  overbearing.</p><p>He  didn’t  want  to  do  this  in  the  crowded  hallway.</p><p>Yet,  there,  mere  feet  away,  was  a  stairwell.  That  would  work  fine.</p><p>“No…I’m  serious…Pepper  will  love  it.  I  built  one  in  Avengers  Tower.  It’ll  be  a  surprise  for  her,  all  you  have  to  do  is  sign  off  on  it  for  me.”</p><p>Steve  did  not  like  the  sounds  of  that  one  bit.</p><p>As  he  approached  Tony  from  behind,  he  managed  to  catch  your  eye,  which  in  turn  caught  Tony’s  attention,  making  the  well-dressed  billionaire  turn  and  then  sigh  somewhat  dramatically.  Something,  likely  very  scathing,  was  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue  as  per  his  usual,  when  he  then  got  a  whiff  of  Steve.  </p><p>Brown  eyes  hesitated  and  took  in  his  teammate,  knowing  what  that  slight  change  in  his  scent  meant.  As  it  seemed  Steve  was  nothing  if  not  regimented,  to  include  biologically.  Sidelining  Captain  America  for  about  ten  days.</p><p>“Oh  you’ve  got  to  be  kidding  me,”  Tony  breathed,  all  traces  of  humor  and  sarcasm  gone.</p><p>Steve  felt  the  exact  same  way.  It  was  obvious  in  the  tight  look  he  had  for  Tony.</p><p>When  he  looked  your  way,  you  could  pick  up  the  distinctive  scents  from  the  starts  of  a  rut.  It  surprised  you.  You  weren’t  even  going  to  lie.  This  was  not  something  you’d  even  thought  about,  you  hadn’t  even  had  a  chance  to  think  about  your  own  future,  forget  your  future  together,  or  what  would  happen  when  Steve  eventually  had  a  rut.</p><p>“When  you’re  done  here,  could  you  meet  me  over  in  the  stairwell?  I  need  to  speak  to  you.”</p><p>There,  that  was  calm  and  collected  and  civil.  Stark’s  citrusy  scent  wasn’t  at  all  making  Steve  want  to  put  the  brunets  head  through  a  wall.  He  had  to  fight  the  urge  to  push  against  Tony  on  his  way  by  after  you  nodded,  like  really  fight  the  urge,  like  throw  it  down  and  put  it  in  a  chokehold,  or  there  would  possibly  be  an  Avenger  in  your  weekend  HR  Class.  </p><p>And  it  didn’t  take  long  for  you  to  follow.</p><p>A  few  minutes  tops.  </p><p>You’d  promised  Tony  that  you’d  be  in  your  office  later,  so  he  could  come  and  beg  you  to  sign  off  on  his  proposal,  before  Pepper  got  wind  of  what  he  was  wanting  to  build. </p><p>Not  that  you  could  exactly  even  think  about  a  totally  green  self-powered  Avengers  Compound.  One  with  a  power  source  right  in  the  woods.</p><p>Not  when  Steve  smelled  like  sin  walking  around  on  two  impossibly  long  legs.</p><p>Inside  of  the  stairwell  was  that  set  of  legs,  pacing,  restless.</p><p>“Steve?”</p><p>He  had  to  have  heard  you  approach,  but  it  took  you  saying  his  name  to  get  him  to  look  up,  to  look  at  you.  </p><p>From  what  you  could  hear,  the  stairwell  was  mostly  empty.  Everyone  seemed  to  prefer  the  elevators.</p><p>When  he  looked  at  you,  it  was  impossible  to  miss  the  predatory  way  his  blue  eyes  looked  you  over.  Warning  bells  went  off  in  your  head  on  instinct  alone.  He  was  your  Steve  though,  he  wouldn’t  hurt  you.  So,  you  walked  right  up  to  him  with  your  pumps  clicking  loudly  on  the  concrete  floor.</p><p>“How  long  do  you  have?”</p><p>Had  your  mouth  always  looked  like  that?  Steve  couldn’t  take  his  eyes  off  your  lips,  not  when  he  knew  how  they  felt  wrapped  around  his  cock.  Which  now  was  a  bit  more  than  a  semi.  Internally,  he  thanked  every  star  in  the  night  sky,  he’d  had  the  forethought  to  put  this  suit  on.</p><p>His  voice  was  strained,  “About  two  days.”</p><p>Was  it  possible  you  smelled  better  than  he  remembered?  He  didn’t  want  his  previous  rut  partner.  How  could  he  have  even  thought  she  was  a  suitable  substitute  for  you?  Why  had  he  even  been  nervous  about  this?  Steve  couldn’t  even  remember.  Not  when  you  looked  up  at  him  like  that,  not  when  you  reached  out  to  touch  his  hand  and  took  it  in  your  smaller  grip.  </p><p>Steve  knew  for  a  fact  he  needed  to  put  some  distance  between  his  body  and  your  body,  but  for  the  life  of  him,  he  didn’t  quite  remember  why  it  seemed  so  pressing.  Most  likely  because  that  was  how  a  rut  worked.  Or  maybe  you  were  doing  something  to  him.</p><p>“I’m  sorry,  I  didn’t  expect  it  so  soon,”  he  managed.</p><p>You  gave  him  a  kindhearted  look  he  felt  so  guilty  about.  When  you  looked  at  him  with  those  soft  eyes  in  that  compassionate  way,  he  just  wanted  to  spin  you  around,  rip  down  your  skirt  and  sink  into  you.  But  no,  he  knew  that  he  couldn’t  do  that  in  the  stairwell.  Steve  knew  he  had  an  issue  with  you.  He  could  never  just  be  quick.  He  could  never  just  have  you  once,  it  just  wasn’t  something  he  was  physically  able  to  accomplish.</p><p>A  flash  of  the  not  totally  hormone  saturated  part  of  him  managed  to  push  through  and  he  managed  to  see  the  light,  for  the  moment.  “We  need  to  discuss  this  before  tomorrow.  I  may  not  be  in  the  best  mindset  tomorrow.”</p><p>While  Steve  may  have  sounded  like  sex  dripping  off  a  stick,  his  words  made  you  pause.  </p><p>The  way  he  suddenly  pulled  his  hand  from  yours,  as  if  you  burnt  him.</p><p>The  way  he  focused  on  your  nose  when  he  spoke  to  you.</p><p>It  didn’t  offend  or  upset  you,  so  much  as  get  your  interest.</p><p>He  blew  out  a  breath  and  bounced  back  on  his  heels.  His  scent  was  what  you’d  call  soupy.  You  could  not  help  but  wonder,  if  that  dream  you’d  had,  was  the  reason.  Not  that  you  were  complaining.  It  wasn’t  a  nightmare.  It  was  the  first  sex  dream  you’d  had  in  a  very  long  time.  Any  night  you  didn’t  dream  about  Crossbones  beating  you  to  a  bloody  pulp  was  a  good  night.  Plus,  waking  up  so  aroused  it’d  only  taken  a  single  touch  to  come,  had  been  quite  the  pleasant  surprise.</p><p>“My  ruts.  They’re…rigorous.”</p><p>You  cocked  an  eyebrow.</p><p>“I  don’t  want  to  hurt  you,  or  scare  you.”</p><p>You  were  seriously  touched.</p><p>You  were  positive  that  his  marks  on  your  neck  were  making  it  almost  impossible  for  you  to  look  back,  remember  your  former  Alpha’s  ruts,  as  nothing  was  really  coming  to  mind.  But  you  knew  that  you  weren’t  bothered  by  Steve’s  news.  Sure,  it  didn’t  have  you  jumping  for  joy.  But  this  was  hardly  bad  news.</p><p>When  he  shifted  from  one  leg  to  the  other,  you  fought  the  urge  to  reach  out  and  touch  him  again.</p><p>Freakin  Janet  was  going  to  love  it  when  you  told  her  you  needed  to  work  remotely  for  the  next  week.  She  was  your  number  one  suspect  for  spreading  the  news  about  Monday’s  close  encounter  with  Steve  on  your  desk.  You’d  even  opened  up  the  window  in  your  office  and  sprayed  Frebreeze  everywhere.  Now  everyone  in  your  office  was  giving  you  thumbs  up,  or  worse,  looking  at  you  with  smirks  and  telling  you  some  variation  of,  ‘Good  for  you.’</p><p>It  was  like  the  whole  building  knew  by  Tuesday  morning.</p><p>HR  wasn’t  happy  about  that  either.</p><p>“I’m  not  worried  about  you  hurting  me  Steve.  You  haven’t  ever  hurt  me  before  and  I  know  how  to  say  No,  or  Stop.  I’m  actually  very  good  at  it.”</p><p>The  Alpha  in  him  could  not  have  been  happier.  He’d  picked  the  absolute  perfect  Omega.  One  so  good  and  submissive.</p><p>But  no,  no,  he  didn’t  need  to  think  about  that  yet.</p><p>His  head  was  mostly  still  clear.</p><p>While  he  could  think  straight,  he  needed  to  prepare  you,  warn  you,  make  you  understand.  Maybe  while  he  was  still  able  to  have  a  lucid  thought  that  wasn’t  centered  on  putting  his  dick  someone  in  your  body,  he  could  take  Doctor  Cho  up  on  her  offer.  </p><p>Steve  could  never  remember  feeling  so  itchy.</p><p>“Omega…”  he  ground  out,  reaching  out  to  steady  himself  on  the  rail  for  the  stairwell  landing.  “I  need  to  know  you’re  ok  and  safe,  and  when  I  come  out  of  this  rut,  that  I  haven’t  ruined  things.”</p><p>He  was  serious.  He  was  straight  up  legit  serious.</p><p>It  was  sobering  watching  him  struggle  to  just  tell  you  that.  You  stepped  closer  and  very  softly  told  him.  “Everything  will  be  fine  Steve.  Why  don’t  you  come  upstairs  tonight  and  we  can  talk  about  this  in  detail?  We’ll  plan  everything  out.  We  will  pick  a  spot  and  stock  up  on  foods  that  you  like,  we  can  talk  about  what  I  should  expect  from  you,  and  you  can  tell  me  all  about  the  duration  and  peak  of  your  rut.  Trust  me  when  I  tell  you,  this  is  nothing  that  I  can’t  handle.”</p><p>When  he  hugged  you  tightly,  it  was  half  in  thanks  and  desperation,  and  also  so  you  didn’t  see  the  steel  railing  he’d  bent.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Sadly  it  was  not  meant  to  be.  An  hour  after  Steve  saw  you  in  the  stairwell,  there  was  a  change  in  situations  around  the  upcoming  Avenger  mission.  Timetables  were  forcibly  moved  up  when  villainous  sorts  seemed  to  have  better  luck  than  Steve  that  week. </p><p>Therefore,  Steve  was  unable  to  leave  the  Avengers  Offices  much  before  two  am,  and  even  then,  he  wasn’t  in  his  own  bed  till  three,  as  he  felt  the  need  to  go  run  on  the  treadmill  for  an  hour.</p><p>He  knew  his  hormones  were  considerably  different  from  when  he’d  woken  up  that  day,  as  the  thought  of  going  to  see  Doctor  Cho  again  was  ridiculous.  </p><p>He  wasn’t  spending  his  rut  in  a  medical  room. </p><p>The  thought  of  his  former  rut  partner  just  pissed  him  off  for  some  reason.</p><p>Spending  all  night  planning  a  mission  that  he  couldn’t  go  on  didn’t  bother  him.  Nor  did  not  going  up  to  your  room.  </p><p>Steve  wanted  his  sweet  little  Omega  to  rest.  He’d  see  you  soon  enough.  Merely  the  thought  of  looking  for  you,  seeking  you  out,  hunting  you  through  the  floors  of  the  compound  made  him  very  much  look  forward  to  the  coming  day.</p><p>After  he’d  run  enough  energy  off  to  not  be  so  tense  his  muscles  hurt,  he  took  a  shower  and  pleasured  himself,  twice,  all  while  thinking  about  you.  </p><p>When  he  got  out  of  his  steamy  bathroom  wearing  not  a  stitch  of  clothing,  as  clothing  was  just  too  irritating  on  his  feverish  skin,  he  was  halfway  hard  again.  Not  to  be  deterred  though,  he  plopped  down  in  bed  and  closed  his  eyes.  </p><p>He  needed  a  nap.  </p><p>He  knew  that  he  needed  a  nap.  </p><p>The  chemical  changes  in  his  body  demanded  rest.</p><p>Even  in  his  rest  though,  his  dreams  were  again  about  you.</p><p>Steve  dreamt  of  chasing  you  through  the  compound.  He  dreamt  of  your  scent  leading  him  down  empty  hallways  and  stairs,  luring  him  along  like  a  cat  after  a  mouse.  Sounds  of  your  heels  clicking  loudly.</p><p>His  dream  led  him  after  you,  never  fully  catching  you.  Anticipation  being  an  aphrodisiac itself.  </p><p>When  he  finally  caught  you  in  a  hallway  that  could  have  been  any  other,  he  hooked  an  arm  around  your  waist  and  buried  his  face  in  the  curve  of  your  neck.  Your  smell,  the  feel  of  your  soft  skin,  even  your  hair  tickling  his  nose  set  him  off.</p><p>You  mewed  and  whined  as  he  ripped  open  your  dress.  Fabric  easily  tearing  beneath  his  powerful  hands.  All  he  could  think  about  was  getting  you  free  of  all  that  fabric.  He  had  to  see  all  your  beautiful  skin.  He  had  to  paint  your  flesh  with  his  seed,  to  cover  the  marks  that  didn’t  belong  to  him.</p><p>Screams  came  from  you,  whether  they  were  pleasure  or  pain,  he  didn’t  know,  all  he  knew  was  he  had  to  fulfil  this  need.  He  had  to  bury  himself  so  far  inside  of  you  there  wasn’t  even  the  littlest  space  left.</p><p>And  then…then  he  was  on  you,  on  the  floor.</p><p>The  dream  had  shifted,  the  world  had  tilted.</p><p>Steve  didn’t  know  where  he  was,  he  didn’t  recognize  anything.  He  only  knew  you  were  beneath  him,  on  your  hands  and  knees.  One  hand  was  wrapped  so  tightly  in  your  hair  his  fingers  ached.  Relentlessly  he  pounded  into  you.  He’d  made  a  total  mess.  Nothing  but  sounds  of  wet  flesh  slapping,  his  grunts,  your  cries  and  sobs  fill  his  ears.  </p><p>Seeing  your  bare  back  beneath  him  spurred  him  on  harder.  Seeing  scars  that  belonged  to  that  Alpha  he  couldn’t  seem  to  get  his  hands  on  fueled  him.  Steve’s  other  hand  grabbed  your  shoulder,  easily  encompassing  it  and  sinking  fingers  in  bruisingly  tight.  Tighter  and  tighter  and  tighter…</p><p>…until  something  woke  him  up.</p><p>Voices,  voices  outside  in  the  hallway  woke  him  up.</p><p>Steve  opened  his  eyes  and  remained  still.</p><p>Again  he  was  sweaty,  he  was  tangled  in  sheets  and  as  he  got  his  bearings,  he  could  hear  Sam  and  Natasha  were  up  and  down  the  hall.  Talking  about  their  upcoming  mission  and  coffee.</p><p>His  room  was  only  kinda  lightening  up  a  little.</p><p>Steve  could  have  gotten  up  like  yesterday,  he  could  have  gotten  right  into  the  shower  to  go  wash  away  his  dream.</p><p>Steve  didn’t  move.  </p><p>Yesterday’s  panic  didn’t  come,  nor  did  the  profanities,  or  even  his  desire  to  do  anything  to  stop  his  rut.  Instead  he  listened  to  his  friends  voices  pass  his  closed  bedroom  door.  He  relaxed  back  in  his  damp  sheets.  He  didn’t  at  all  care  about  having  to  strip  his  bed  again.  Or  have  a  pressing  desire  to  wash  sheets  as  soon  as  possible  so  the  cleaning  staff  wouldn’t  see  them,  smell  them,  notice  the  stain.  His  thighs  were  sticky  with  his  release  from  his  dream.  Steve  didn’t  care.</p><p>A  thought  passed  through  his  mind  and  in  his  almost  dark  room,  he  reached  for  his  phone.</p><p>You  however  did  wake  suddenly.  </p><p>You  did  wake  with  a  gasp,  sitting  straight  up  and  banging  your  head  on  the  wall  of  your  closet  nest.  Profanities  spewed  from  your  lips  from  the  pain  and  that  dream,  oh  God  that  dream.  </p><p>You  were  hot  and  wet,  your  sleeping  shirt  that  belonged  to  Steve  stuck  to  your  sweaty  body.  Your  flannel  lounge  pants  were  slippery  with  your  release.</p><p>Did  you  actually  have  an  orgasm  while  you  slept?</p><p>You  were  so  disoriented  you  wouldn’t  have  been  surprised  if  it  was  true.</p><p>“Holy  Mother  of  Bon  Jovi…”  you  gasped  deeply,  sagging  back  into  pillows  and  blankets  that  smelled  like  you  and  Steve,  as  that  dream  went  through  your  memory.  How  could  it  not?  It  was  seared  in  your  memory  for  eternity.</p><p>Dream  Steve  chasing  you  around  the  Avengers  Compound  had  been  surprisingly  exciting.  </p><p>But  that  part  right  before  you  woke  up.  That  part  of  the  dream  where  you  were  in  your  first  apartment,  the  one  you  loved,  right  out  of  college,  on  the  floor,  doing  the  absolute  dirty  until  you  were  just  screaming  in  mind  shattering  release.</p><p>You  actually  reached  up  to  touch  your  sweaty  shoulder,  to  see  if  it  hurt.  It  had  felt  so  real.  You  swore  you  could  feel  him  grab  you.  Your  climax  had  been  real  enough.  You’d  soiled  your  jammy  pants  and  could  smell  it  already.</p><p>A  tell-tale  quacking  broke  through  the  sounds  of  your  gasping  and  heavy  breathing.</p><p>A  small  glow  illuminated  your  closet.  </p><p>You  didn’t  even  have  it  in  you  to  narrow  your  eyes.  A  damp  arm  flopped  down  to  acquire  your  phone,  to  see  that  Steve  had  texted  you.</p><p>-Are  you  up?-</p><p>Dare  you  answer?</p><p>You  considered  not  answering.</p><p>However,  since  there  was  absolutely  no  chance  of  you  falling  back  asleep  and  it  was  pretty  near  five  in  the  am.  You  had  your  phone  unlocked  with  a  few  swipes  of  your  thumb.</p><p>How  did  you  even  respond  to  that  sort  of  question?  He  was  probably  the  reason  why  you  were  up.</p><p>Before  reason  could  make  an  appearance,  you  fired  off  a  message  to  him  and  then  began  to  fluff  pillows  and  blankets  to  get  comfortable.  </p><p>=Yeah  u  get  everything  sorted  last  night=</p><p>Once  you’d  gotten  everything  perfect  and  settled  back  into  your  nest,  curled  on  your  side,  legs  pulled  up,  you  saw  he’d  already  replied  with  two  texts.</p><p>-Most  everything.-</p><p>-What  are  you  doing?-</p><p>What  were  you  doing?  Pondering  just  how  much  you  wanted  to  procrastinate  before  your  alarm  went  off.  Another  message  came  from  him  as  you  pondered.</p><p>-Don’t  wear  any  panties  today.-</p><p>Ok,  well,  that  last  message  you  didn’t  have  to  think  about  how  to  respond  to.</p><p>=U  wanna  tell  me  what  2  wear=</p><p>Little  dots  appeared.</p><p>-Something  with  a  long  skirt.  I  want  you  ready  for  me  when  I  see  you  today.-</p><p>Both  of  your  eyebrows  rose  to  considerable  new  heights.  </p><p>Clearly  Steve  must  have  been  feeling  better.  You’d  been  really  worried  about  him  yesterday.</p><p>=Ok  Stud…u  want  anything  special  4  ur  rut=</p><p>=Im  going  food  shopping  today  for  the  week=</p><p>You’d  gone  to  Pepper  to  get  the  afternoon  off.  You  wanted  to  take  care  of  a  few  personal  things  around  town  before  your  class  and  Steve’s  rut.  You  wanted  to  stock  your  kitchen,  pick  up  a  few  things  at  the  bookshop  and  Target.  You  weren’t  sure  what  to  expect,  so  you  wanted  to  be  prepared.</p><p>The  answer  Steve  sent  you  was  in  no  way  helpful  for  your  shopping  list.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Steve  was  about  ready  to  climb  the  damn  walls.</p><p>Not  only  did  that  damn  one-armed  terrorist  move  up  his  time  table  for  selling  the  Wakandan  precious  metals,  trapping  him  in  planning  meetings  all  day  and  well  into  the  evening.  </p><p>But,  the  one  time  he  managed  to  get  away  for  food  and  he’d  managed  to  set  eyes  on  you  in  the  cafeteria,  in  a  floor  lengthy  poofy  skirt  that  he  had  the  most  inappropriate  thoughts  about,  Doctor  Cho  popped  up.  </p><p>Which  meant  he  had  to  spend  the  better  part  of  forty  minutes,  nearly  his  entire  break,  eating  with  the  medical  professional,  convincing  her  that  not  only  was  he  perfectly  fine,  but  he  in  absolutely  no  way  wanted  to  have  his  rut  in  Medical.  Nor  did  he  want  to  sit  down  with  you  and  Doctor  Cho  to  discuss  his  feelings.</p><p>If  it  was  even  possible,  he  wanted  to  punch  himself  in  the  face.</p><p>Then,  THEN,  as  you  left  the  cafeteria  with  Pepper,  in  that  midnight  blue  skirt  that  just  sort  of  floated  around  you,  you  had  the  audacity  to  wink  at  him.  </p><p>You  winked  at  him!</p><p>A  strong  desire  to  shove  you  over  the  nearest  table,  yank  up  that  skirt  and  fuck  you  till  you  were  screaming  and  couldn’t  see  straight  filled  him.</p><p>Wink  at  him?  He  had  something  just  for  you.  </p><p>He’d  been  so  distracted  by  the  thought  of  his  spend  dripping  from  you,  that  he  didn’t  hear  whatever  Doctor  Cho  was  going  on  about  concerning  his  designation  being  impacted  by  the  serum.  </p><p>Seeing  the  good  doctor  look  at  him  with  that  look,  Steve  just  agreed.</p><p>It  seemed  to  be  the  correct  answer.</p><p>Doctor  Cho  rested  her  hand  on  his  tightly  flexed  wrist.  “Perfect,  I’ll  have  everything  set  up  in  the  lab.  It’ll  take  twenty,  thirty  minutes  tops.  We’ll  collect  samples  again  during  your  rut,  and  then  at  the  end.”</p><p>What  in  the  ever-loving  hell  did  he  just  agree  too?</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>You  ran  into  Steve  as  he  was  getting  out  of  the  elevator  that  next  morning,  Saturday morning,  when  you  had  your  stupid  HR  Class.  </p><p>You’d  worn  that  same  royal  blue  tulle  skirt  again,  knowing  that  you’d  see  him  when  you  were  done.  You  promised  to  be  back  as  soon  as  you  could  and  told  him  to  just  make  himself  at  home.  </p><p>You’d  left  your  door  unlocked  and  did  not  miss  the  small  duffle  bag  he  carried.</p><p>Sure,  he  looked  about  fit  to  be  tied,  but  he’d  be  fine  in  your  apartment.  It  was  Banner’s  apartment.  It  was  Hulk-proof.  How  much  trouble  could  he  get  in?</p><p>While  you  were  pretty  sure  you  couldn’t  be  fired.  And  Pepper  thought  it  was  marvelous  that  you’d  elbowed  the  Alpha  who  had  issues  with  the  whole  concept  of  personal  space,  you  didn’t  want  to  cause  problems  for  Pepper,  so  you  hurried  off  to  class.</p><p>Really,  how  much  trouble  could  he  have  gotten  in?</p><p>As  soon  as  your  class  was  over  you  bolted.</p><p>You’d  been  anxious  and  jittery  all  day.  Had  you  not  taken  this  class  several  times  before,  you  may  have  not  been  able  to  pass  the  test.  Lucky  for   you,  this  wasn’t  your  first  rodeo.  You  were  the  first  done.  You  were  the  first  to  bolt  and  were  upstairs  in  what  felt  like  a  land-speed  record.</p><p>Your  first  sign  that  all  was  not  well  in  paradise,  was  the  pile  of  metal  out  in  the  hallway  outside  your  door.</p><p>That  was  new.</p><p>When  you  quickly  got  into  your  apartment,  there  were  signs  of  fuckery  being  afoot.</p><p>Feathers  were  all  over  your  floor.</p><p>Quickly  you  locked  your  door  and  kicked  off  your  shoes.  </p><p>You  called  out  his  name  softly,  you  know,  in  case  he  was  napping  or  something.  Granted  that  dream  died  when  you  stepped  further  into  your  apartment  and  peered  in  Banner’s  bedroom,  to  see  just  what  Steve  had  been  doing.</p><p>All  that  metal  had  been  Banner’s  bedframe.</p><p>Mystery  solved.</p><p>Your  eyes  roamed  around  to  see  the  memory  foam  bamboo  mattress  not  only  on  the  floor,  but  ripped  open.  It  looked  like  it  had  quite  literally  exploded.  Contents  of  the  mattress  were  ripped  out  and  in  pieces.  Many  many  blankets  and  towels  and  pillows  sat  atop  it.  Some  of  which  were  intact.  Others  were  ripped  apart  with  stuffing  making  up  one  big  nest.  Throw  a  small  table  in  the  corner  with  a  cute  lamp,  some  succulents  and  vintage  typewriter  and  it  would  be  absolutely  perfect.</p><p>But  that  wasn’t  it.</p><p>Oh  no,  that  was  far  from  it.</p><p>Steve  had  hit  his  rut.  The  smell  alone  was  enough  to  take  you  out  at  the  knees.  Oh  God  the  smell.  It  was  everywhere.  It  sank  into  every  space,  every  pore,  attached  itself  to  every  fabric.</p><p>It  wrapped  itself  around  you.  </p><p>You  licked  your  lips  as  goosebumps  broke  out  over  your  skin.  Your  hands  became  cold  as  your  stomach  coiled,  a  heat  flushed  up  your  neck.  Uncomfortably  you  shifted  as  you  felt  your  body  react,  grow  aroused.  You  hadn’t  worn  panties  that  morning  as  per  his  request  yesterday.  Allowing  you  to  feel  your  slick  begin  to  trickle  from  you.</p><p>You  were  almost  sad  that  you  no  longer  got  your  heats.</p><p>Almost  that  was,  the  thought  barely  had  a  chance  to  register  before  movement  caught  your  eye.  You  glanced  over  your  shoulder  and  gasped.  Powerful  arms  suddenly  came  around  your  waist,  pulling  you  back.</p><p>Steve  buried  his  face  in  your  hair.  God  you  smelled  like  a  dream.  Who  would  ever  have  thought  tea  and  cookies  smelled  so  good?</p><p>He  pressed  himself  against  the  curve  of  your  ass,  so  grateful  you  were  back.</p><p>He  was  about  to  lose  his  mind.</p><p>All  day  he’d  been  working  on  that  in  the  bedroom  for  you.  He’d  had  to  go  down  to  his  room  twice,  which  had  been  quite  the  feat,  considering  he’d  been  hard  as  a  fucking  rock  all  day.  He  almost  couldn’t  see  straight  and  then,  the  second  he  smelled  you,  heard  you  call  his  name.  He’d  actually  lost  count  of  how  many  times  he’d  masturbated  that  day.  Being  surrounded  by  your  smells,  your  things,  in  your  space  was  like  a  fresh  new  hell.</p><p>You  made  a  noise  and  he  was  done.</p><p>One  of  his  hands  began  to  yank  up  all  the  layers  of  your  skirt,  as  he  held  you  tight  to  his  bare  chest.  Only  in  a  pair  of  baggy  sweats,  which  was  all  he  could  really  stand  on  his  over  sensitized  skin  and  they  wouldn’t  last  long.  Sharp  teeth  nipped  at  your  ear.  His  breath  was  hot.  </p><p>His  palm  spanned  the  width  of  your  thigh.  Greedily,  it  traveled  up  under  your  billowy  skirt,  “Are  you  ready  for  my  knot  Omega?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Were  you  ready  for  Steve’s  knot?</p><p>The  thought  raced  through  your  head.</p><p>Were  you  ready  for  his  knot?  There  was  no  coming  back  from  that  and  you  knew  it.  Your  body  trembled  against  him.  Had  his  arm  not  been  like  a  vice  around  your  waist,  you  would  have  fallen.</p><p>His  palm  flattened  over  your  sternum.</p><p>Your  heart  pounded  violently  beneath  your  chest.  Steve  could  feel  you  tense,  he  could  smell  your  sudden  fear  blended  with  your  body’s  aroused  reaction  to  him.</p><p>“Oh  my  sweet  little  Omega…I  won’t  hurt  you.  You’re  mine.  You’re  all  mine  now  and  no  one’s  going  to  hurt  you  ever  again.”  Steve  breathed  against  you.  His  lips  drug  along  your  neck,  his  teeth  nipped  just  hard  enough  to  make  you  squirm.</p><p>He  walked  the  both  of  you  into  the  bedroom.</p><p>Your  eyes  looked  over  that  magnificent  nest.</p><p>His  grip  tightened  around  you.  “What  are  you  thinking  about  Omega?”</p><p>Your  mouth  opened  as  your  mind  raced  a  mile  a  minute.  You  couldn’t  think.  His  scent  was  overwhelming  you.  Your  body  was  confused.  Your  body  wanted  him  but  was  surprised,  maybe  even  a  little  frightened,  surprised  for  absolute  sure.  Nothing  immediately  came  from  your  mouth.</p><p>Growing  irritated,  Steve  pushed  you.</p><p>Perhaps  he  pushed  a  bit  harder  than  he  intended.  He  pushed  you  into  the  new  nest,  to  get  you  out  of  whatever  moment  you  were trapped  in.  He  watched  the  fluffy  cobalt  material  of  your  skirt  fluff  around  everywhere.  A  grunt  came  from  you,  as  you  attempted  to  right  yourself,  flip  over  in  the  sea  of  bedding  that  you  just  sank  down  into.  Your  skirt  proved  difficult  for  you  to  move  easily  around  in.</p><p>Upon  righting  yourself,  you  turned  and  found  yourself  seated,  adjusting  your  skirt  and  looking  at  Steve.</p><p>A  few  messy  strands  of  golden  hair  danced  over  his  forehead.  His  body  was  tense.  Through  his  sweatpants  you  could  easily  make  out  a  painful  looking  erection.</p><p>“I’m  thinking…”</p><p>You  were,  honest  to  God  you  were.</p><p>This  was  not  the  Steve  from  the  stairwell.  ‘Obviously’,  your  brain  snapped  at  you.  </p><p>Of  course,  he  still  smelled  like  Steve.  Why  wouldn’t  he?</p><p>This  was  what  he  tried  to  tell  you.  You  thought  he’d  been  distracted  by  Avenger  related  issues  over  the  past  few  days.  You  thought  that  was  why  he’d  not  brought  his  concerns  about  his  rut  up  again.  Now  you  realized,  that  it  was  his  hormones.  It  was  his  rut.  That  primal  urge  had  grabbed  hold  of  him.</p><p>What  did  he  call  it?  Rigorous?  </p><p>“Tell  me  what  you’re  thinking  about  Omega.”</p><p>Everything  you  two  had  talked  about  in  the  stairwell  ran  through  your  head.  One  slight  movement  in  your  blankets  and  pillows  was  all  it  took,  you  felt  your  slick  run  from  you.  You  couldn’t  have  been  more  aroused  if  you  tried  and  that  was  terrifying  you.  Words  hurriedly  came  from  your  mouth.  “Don’t  tie  me  up.”</p><p>Steve  stepped  closer  to  what  remained  of  Banner’s  mattress  on  the  floor.  “I  won’t  tie  you  up.”</p><p>“Don’t  hit  me,”  you  added,  remaining  in  your  new  favorite  spot  in  your  apartment.</p><p>“I’d  never  hit  you.”</p><p>Steve  knelt  down  on  the  bed  slowly,  like  a  big  cat  observing  prey,  easing  after  it  slowly,  methodically.  </p><p>You  remained  still,  no  longer  trembling.  Whatever  weight  had  been  pressing  down  on  you  seemed  to  have  lessened.  That  coil  deep  within  tightened.  You  still  breathed  deeply.  You  still  had  goosebumps,  your  hands  were  still  cool  as  your  face  and  chest  bloomed  with  heat.  However,  you  could  smell  yourself.  Your  slick  was  beginning  to  make  your  skirt  stick  to  your  thighs.</p><p>“Don’t  call  me  vulgar  names.”</p><p>If  he  ever  got  his  hands  on  Crossbones,  he  was  going  to  rip  him  apart,  piece  by  piece.</p><p>“Never,”  he  breathed,  close  enough  to  smell  your  slick.  Close  enough  see  the  soft  sheen  of  perspiration  begin  to  make  your  skin  glow  for  him.  It  all  made  his  already  painful  dick  excruciatingly  throb.  Even  that  little  bit  of  unease  on  your  face  as  you  licked  your  lips,  as  your  fingers  gripped  pieces  of  the  nest,  made  his  erection  pulse.  “All  you  have  to  do  is  tell  me  ‘No’  and  I’ll  stop.”</p><p>You  heard  him  say  those  simple  words.</p><p>You’d  screamed  those  words  out  before,  repeatedly,  over  and  over  and  over  to  no  avail.</p><p>Steve  came  your  way  on  his  knees.  He  reached  for  your  barefoot,  fingertips  just  touching  the  arch  of  your  foot.</p><p>“Stop!”</p><p>Steve  froze.</p><p>His  eyes  met  yours  as  you  watched  him  closely.  He  did  stop.  Whatever  was  left  of  that  weight  seemed  to  dissipate.  He  stopped.  He  had  stopped.  You  only  had  to  ask  once.  You  shifted  more  comfortably  in  the  nest.  That  suffocating  weight  was  practically  gone.  Leaving  you  cautious,  curious,  incredibly  turned  on.  “Ok…I’m  ready…”</p><p>Steve  would  have  waited  as  long  as  you  needed.  </p><p>Fortunately,  it  seemed  to  be  a  test,  something  that  you  needed  to  prove  to  yourself.  Because  when  he  grabbed  both  of  your  ankles  to  yank  you  down,  flat  on  your  back,  your  eyes  widened  but  you  didn’t  say  anything.  Steve  even  waited  a  moment  for  you.  A  little  surprised  chirp  was  all  that  had  come  from  you.  Those  shockingly  blue  eyes  watched  for  any  signs  to  stop.</p><p>When  none  came,  Steve  began  to  push  all  the  layers  of  blue  gauzy  fabric  away.  A  last  and  most  frustrating  barrier.  How  could  there  be  so  much  of  it?</p><p>But  then  he  saw  what  he  sought.</p><p>Oh  you  were  so  wet.  Your  slick  covered  the  insides  of  your  thighs.  A  few  filmy  layers  of  that  fabric  were  stuck  to  your  arousal  and  skin.  Just  the  smell  of  you  clouded  his  mind.  Quickly  he  got  down  to  his  elbows  to  press  his  mouth  against  your  sensitive  flesh.  Flattening  his  tongue,  he  drew  it  through  your  folds  then  pushed  down  into  you,  making  you  groan.  A  deft  finger  slid  into  your  core,  then  two  as  he  took  your  clit  into  his  mouth,  sucked  deeply  and  pumped  those  fingers  into  you.</p><p>He  was  relentless.</p><p>Your  hands  sank  down  in  his  hair.</p><p>Your  head  dropped  down  onto  the  soft  bedding.  A  gasp  came  from  you.  He  didn’t  slow  down.  When  you  came  the  first  time,  he  didn’t  give  you  a  chance  to  recover  before  pushing  you  into  that  next  shattering  orgasm.  Your  thighs  clamped  around  his  head.  Not  that  he  cared,  he  pushed  them  down,  wanting  total  access  to  you.  </p><p>Steve  wasn’t  done.  He  wanted  more.  He  wanted  another  one  from  you.  What  he  really  wanted  to  do  was  knot  you.  Oh  God  how  he  wanted  you  on  his  knot.  He  wanted  you  in  that  most  primal  way.  He  wanted  to  be  sealed  inside  of  you.  He  wanted  to  feel  his  knot  inflate  around  you.  A  part  of  him  screamed  at  him  to  do  it,  to  finally  make  you  his  completely.  </p><p>Which  he  would,  he  was  going  to  do  it.</p><p>First,  he  needed  you  limp  as  a  proverbial  noodle.  You  were  already  so  snug  around  him.  Your  reaction  upon  getting  back  hadn’t  gone  unnoticed.  If  anything,  in  his  current  state,  he  noticed  it  more.  You  would  see  you  had  nothing  to  fear.  He  would  make  sure  you’d  be  out  of  your  mind  from  pleasure.  When  you  took  his  knot,  it  wouldn’t  hurt  and  he  would  make  damn  sure  you  were  desperate  for  it  again.  Natasha  had  referred  to  it  as  something  incredibly  inappropriate  while  on  a  stakeout.  When  they  got  to  watch  a  target  engage  in  intercourse,  repeatedly,  not  long  before  he  met  you  and  he’d  never  given  it  a  second  thought.</p><p>Steve  needed  you  dick  drunk.</p><p>He  knew  he  wasn’t  going  to  last  long  that  first  time.  He  could  feel  his  knot  start  to ache,  he  could  feel  it  in  the  small  of  his  back.  He  more  than  mildly  uncomfortable.</p><p>Oh,  he  had  every  intention  to  rut  well  into  the  evening,  night  even.  </p><p>He  still  didn’t  want  to  hurt  you.  He  never  wanted  to  hurt  you.  Even  in  the  state  he  was  in,  he  couldn’t  even  begin  to  figure  out  why  he’d  been  so  worried.  He’d  never  do  anything  to  hurt  his  Omega,  not  after  finally  finding  her  after  so  long.</p><p>Doctor  Cho  suggested  that  he  write  himself  a  letter.  He  should  talk  to  himself  while  mid-rut,  so  his  non-rut  self  could  be  more  at  ease  when  he  was  in  this  condition.</p><p>Steve  had  quite  the  many  words  for  himself.  A  scathing  diatribe  was  planned  to  be  put  on  paper  when  you  were  resting  later.</p><p>When  you  shouted,  he  stilled.  Your  body  was  writhing  down  beneath  him,  his  face  was  covered  with  your  slick.  Steve  had  to  push  that  fluffy  fabric  down  so  he  could  look  at  you.  Your  beautiful  neck  and  face  were  red  and  damp.  Your  hands  were  up  in  your  hair  as  you  gasped,  swore  and  hissed  his  name.  Was  that  the  third  one  or  the  fourth  one?  He  couldn’t  remember.</p><p>It  wasn’t  important.</p><p>You  were  ready.  </p><p>He’d  developed  quite  the  ear  for  you  in  bed.  Once  you  became  louder  and  used  profanities  with  his  name,  then  you  were  ready  for  more  enthusiastic  love  making,  as  he’d  heard  it  referred  to  when  Nat  and  Wanda  chatted  about  chick-flicks.  Steve  wasn’t  sure  if  what  he  was  about  to  do  to  you  qualified,  but  he  had  to  call  it  something.</p><p>Pushing  more  of  that  fabric  aside,  he  shoved  his  grey  sweats  down  and  winced  when  he  took  himself  in  hand.  Pre-cum  oozed  from  his  reddened  tip.  He  could  feel  the  thickening  around  his  base  where  his  knot  was  located.  Even  pushing  back  his  foreskin  was  almost  painful.</p><p>You  were  still  gasping  when  he  rubbed  himself  through  your  folds,  smearing  the  first  bit  of  his  release  on  your  sensitive  flesh,  covering  himself  with  your  excessive  slick.  Steve  then  eased  himself  in  with  a  desperate  surge  of  his  hips  that  had  you  gasping  loudly,  with  another  powerful  thrust,  he  was  seated  and  touching  your  clit  again,  pumping  frantically  to  relieve  his  painful  erection.  How  could  you  be  so  perfect?  You  were  so  soft,  so  wet.  Your  body  so  tightly  clinging  to  him.  The  noises  that  escaped  from  you  with  every  wild  surge  into  your  body  grew  louder.  He  pushed  you  further  down  into  the  nest  every  time.</p><p>A  real  scream  did  come  from  you,  when  his  hands  reached  down  to  rip  your  shirt.</p><p>He  ripped  your  shirt  down  the  front.  </p><p>It  was  more  outrage  than  anything,  as  your  legs  clung  to  him  in  an  attempt  to  keep  up.  He  was  just  moving  so  fast,  so  hard.  And  now  he  was  destroying  your  clothing.  You  didn’t  even  get  a  chance  to  be  horrified  when  he  did  the  same  to  your  bra.  It  popped  open  like  nothing  and  then  his  mouth  was  on  your  breast.  A  free  hand,  you  couldn’t  even  tell  which  one,  was  back  circling  your  clit  just  how  he  knew  you  loved.  Continually  he  powered  into  you  like  you  were  his  salvation.</p><p>“I  can’t…”  you  gasped,  cried  really,  “…I  can’t  again…”</p><p>Little  did  you  know,  you  were  going  to  come  again.  He  was  going  to  make  sure  of  that  fact.  Preferably  on  his  knot.  Every  time  he  bottomed  out  inside  you,  he  was  getting  snagged  on  your  entrance.  Soon  it  would  pop.  Very  soon  he’d  knot  you.</p><p>Steve  sucked  hard  on  your  breast,  as  your  nails  dug  painfully  into  his  shoulders.  </p><p>He  couldn’t  speak,  he  wasn’t  capable  of  it.  Not  as  he  sped  up,  plunging  into  you  with  even  more  ferocity,  making  you  scream  his  name,  beg  him,  dig  your  nails  into  his  sweaty  shoulders  so  deeply  he  knew  you  broke  his  smooth  skin.</p><p>His  knot  almost  caught  that  last  time.</p><p>You  were  close  too.  Your  body  milked  him  almost  painfully  tight.  Instinct  took  over.  Steve  gave  one  last  thrust.  One  that  shoved  him  in  so  deep,  his  balls  were  trapped  between  your  bodies.  Finally,  his  knot  swelled,  trapping  you,  stretching  you  and  he  sank  his  teeth  into  your  Mating  Gland.  Skin  easily  broke  beneath  his  teeth,  making  you  scream  as  your  body  violently  climaxed.  Your  scream  was  ripped  from  you,  utterly  destroying  you  both  as  he  came,  hips  pushing  against  yours,  pulsing  as  he  buried  himself  deeper,  wedged  in  as  far  as  humanly  possible,  nestled  against  your  cervix.  Even  then  his  body  rutted  against  yours.  He  shouted  at  first,  gasped  and  then  grunted  as  instinct  reigned.  </p><p>Overpowered  by  his  orgasm,  Steve  felt  his  cock  throb  every  time  he  came.  His  knot  anchored  him  inside  of  you.  With  every  gasp  he  trembled.  Every  discharge  made  something  tighten  deep  down  in  his  chest.  Even  when  he’d  finished,  his  body  kept  pushing  against  yours,  unable  to  focus  on  anything  other  than  seeing  that  primal urge  to  completion.</p><p>You  gasped.  You  panted.  Your  brain  wasn’t  working.  You  were  hot  and  slippery,  wrapped  around  him  as  your  orgasm  began  to  taper,  slowly  releasing  you  from  its  powerful  throbbing,  spasming.</p><p>Softly  you  began  to  soothe  him.</p><p>Your  hands  reached  up  to  pull  him  down  against  you.  Even  stuck  inside  you,  Steve  was  pliable.  Even  as  you  pushed  him  down  into  the  pillow  by  the  back  of  his  head,  whispering  softly  to  him,  he  still  gave  a  few  small  thrusts,  pushes,  rubs  against  you  that  set  off  little  fireworks  against  your  over  sensitized  body.  It  was  very  almost  too  much,  it  was  dangerously  toeing  a  line.</p><p>You  were  full,  you  were  so  full.  You  were  almost  uncomfortably  full.  Had  your  body  not  felt  like  a  slinky,  you  probably  would  have  been  in  pain.</p><p>As  it  was,  your  body  was  pinned  down  into  the  nest  like  one  of  those  butterflies  pinned  to  a  board.  Both  of  your  legs  still  wrapped  tightly  around  Steve.  His  knot  was  all  you  could  focus  on,  as  you  wiggled  a  bit  to  get  comfortable.  </p><p>Buried  deep,  Steve  was  still  hard,  just  not  painfully  so  anymore.</p><p>It  took  you  a  second  to  realize  the  aching  in  your  chest  wasn’t  your  heart,  it  was  your  Mating  Gland,  he’d  reopened  it.  Throbbing,  stinging…you  smelled  your  blood  and  his  blood.</p><p>In  another  second  you  realized  you’d  scented  him  to  calm  him.  You  had  his  face  pushed  against  your  neck,  into  the  pillow.</p><p>More  than  a  few  minutes  had  passed  before  Steve’s  head  cleared.  Cleared  as  much  as  it  was  going  to  anyway.</p><p>At  first,  he  noticed  your  fingers  softly  combing  through  his  hair.  Lazily  almost,  it  felt  like  your  nails  just  made  random  little  circles,  scraped  along  his  scalp,  pushed  through  his  hair  in  a  way  that  felt  so  shockingly  good.  How  did  something  so  basic  feel  so  good?</p><p>For  the  first  time  that  day…Steve  could  breathe.  He  could  think  almost  clearly.  Sure,  the  second  his  knot  went  down,  he  was  going  to  take  you  again.  His  need  for  you  was  no  longer  screaming  at  him.  He  no  longer  hurt.  Granted  his  back  stung  with  unholy  fury.  Whatever  your  skirt  was  made  of  was  sticking  to  him  in  a  most  uncomfortable  way  too. Once  his  knot  went  down,  your  skirt  was  coming  off.</p><p>A  low  noise  of  masculine  satisfaction  came  from  him,  when  you  began  to  trace  your  fingertips  over  his  back  with  your  other  hand.  God  what  a  back  it  was  too.  Every  muscle  was  dip,  or  a  curve,  beneath  your  fingers.  Though  damp,  his  skin  was  so  smooth  you  were  almost  jealous.</p><p>“Feel  better?”  You  softly  asked  him,  not  wanting  to  kill  his  blissful  post  coital  haze.</p><p>Your  Bondmate  moved  as  much  as  was  possible.  Shifted  until  his  nose  was  buried  in  your  hair,  his  mouth  pressed  into  that  part  of  your  neck  that  met  your  jaw  and  ear.  Fingers  began  to  tangle  in  your  hair.  </p><p>One  kiss,  that  was  all  he  originally  intended.  </p><p>Just  one  kiss.  </p><p>Steve  pressed  his  mouth  to  your  neck,  then  he  did  it  again.  Slowly  he  worked  his  way  along  the  line  of  your  jaw,  with  little  soft  touches  of  his  mouth.  All  the  way  over  to  your  chin,  where  he  just  made  the  jump  to  your  lips.  </p><p>Gently  he  kissed  you  at  first.  Softly  he  took  his  time  curling  his  lips  over  yours,  encouraging  your  own  to  respond  and  then  slowly  touching  your  tongue  with  his,  until  he  became  hungry  again,  desperate  again.  </p><p>Soon  he  wasn’t  just  kissing  you.  Soon  he  was  demanding  you  respond,  nipping  at  your  lips  and  taunting  you  with  his  tongue.</p><p>An  unbearable  amount  of  time  seemed  to  pass,  eventually  his  knot  decreased  enough  for  Steve  to  gently  slide  out.  Bringing  with  him  a  gush  of  warm  slick  and  ejaculate  that  you  felt  move,  seep  warmly  from  you.  You  hardly  had  time  to  think  about  asking  him  get  you  a  towel.  </p><p>Steve  was  already  up  on  his  knees,  yanking  off  your  skirt  till  it  slid  from  your  legs.</p><p>Not  that  you  weren’t  grateful,  you  would  have  been  hella  upset  if  he  ripped  that  skirt.</p><p>And  then,  then  he  was  back  over  you  again,  sliding  back  between  your  legs.  “Is  this  ok?”</p><p>You  barely  had  time  to  really  think  it  over.  </p><p>Again,  he  was  ready  to  go  again?  It  wasn’t  like  you  weren’t  aroused  enough  or  even  slick  enough.  You  couldn’t  even  think  up  a  response  other  than  a  nod,  and  then  he  was  pushing  inside  of  you  again,  pumping  those  powerful  hips  of  his  again,  slower  this  time,  angling  himself  down  differently.  </p><p>Moans  slowly  came  from  you.</p><p>You  were  too  sensitive  to  come  again.  Although  that  didn’t  mean  it  didn’t  feel  pretty  fabulous.  Your  hands  remained  buried  in  his  hair  and  up  on  his  back  as  he  moved  above  you,  mouth  open,  eyes  closed,  lost  in  the  feeling  of  you.  </p><p>Your  whispered  how  good  he  felt  every  time  his  hot  skin  rubbed  over  yours.  You  groaned  out  his  name.  Moaned  how  amazing  he  felt  when  he  rubbed  along  your  sensitive  core,  trembling  from  the  overwhelming  feelings  he  was  giving  you.  You  told  him  he  had  the  most  beautiful  eyes  you’d  ever  seen.  Encouraged  him  to  come  again,  you  begged  him  to  fill  you,  pled  with  him.  Reveled  in  seeing  how  utterly  wrecked  he  was  above  you.</p><p>Finally,  a  blush  spread  over  his  pale  chest  that  went  up  his  neck  to  his  cheeks  and  you  knew.  </p><p>Watching  him  unravel  above  you,  in  your  arms,  it  completed  a  part  of  you  that  you  thought  was  long  gone.  It  pleased  you  immensely.  When  he  leaned  down  and  held  you  tightly  in  his  arms,  buried  his  face  in  your  neck  and  shook,  you’d  never  felt  more  treasured.  Both  of  your  arms  snaked  around  his  chest  to  hold  him  close.  </p><p>You  kissed  his  shoulder  softly  several  times,  as  he  once  more  found  his  release  inside  of  you.</p><p>But  then  he  looked  at  you.</p><p>He  looked  at  you  and  you  just  knew.  A  part  of  him  looked  at  a  part  of  you  with  utter  desperation  and  you  knew,  you  just  knew.  Before  he  said  anything,  you  could  see  his  misery  in  all  the  blue  of  his  gaze.  You  could  smell  it  rolling  off  of  him.</p><p>His  voice  broke.  He  sounded  so  frantic,  so  needy,  so  broken  and  hungry.  As  he  gasped  your  name,  you  were  already  nodding,  understanding.    </p><p>“Oh  God…I  need  you…I  need  you  again…are  you,  can  you  take  my  knot?  Is  it  too  soon?”</p><p>You  had  absolutely  no  idea.</p><p>All  you  knew  was  his  sudden  rising  anxious  need  was  making  you  need  to  calm  him,  need  to  care  of  him,  need  to  submit  and  take  that  away  from  him.  You’d  totally  forgotten  where  you  were,  what  time  it  was,  what  day  it  was,  what  state  you  were  in,  even  that  there  was  anyone  else  in  the  building  with  the  two  of  you.</p><p>When  he  quickly  pulled  out  and  rolled  you  over,  you  barely  had  a  second  to  recover.  Both  your  hands  shot  out  to  brace  yourself.  You  peered  over  your  shoulder  in  time  to  see  him  inch  up  behind  you,  take  himself  in  his  hand  and  ease  into  you.  Slowly  in  one  fluid  motion,  Steve  sank  deep,  as  if  he  belonged  inside  of  you  and  every  second  away  was  painful  for  him.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Steve  wasn’t  sure  what  woke  him  up.</p><p>Not  at  first.</p><p>It  was  almost  light  in  Banner’s  room  and  volatile  urges  demanding  he  mate,  take  you,  bite  you,  fill  you,  weren’t  so  powerful  or  overwhelming  anymore.  They’d  quieted  down.  Temporarily  placated.  He  couldn’t  even  remember  the  last  time  he’d  slept  so  soundly.  Like  a  rock  actually.  </p><p>When  he  reached  for  you…you  weren’t  there,  which  wasn’t  that  odd,  since  it  was  then  he  realized  he  was  on  the  floor.</p><p>His  memories  were  a  hazy  blur  of  flesh  and  lust.</p><p>He  could  hear  you  sleeping  soundly  and  when  he  pushed  himself  up,  he  was  able  to  take  in  the  sight  of  you,  sprawled  on  your  stomach  in the  nest  that  he’d  made  with  his  own  hands.  There  was  something  deeply  satisfying  about  that  sight.</p><p>A  knocking  got  his  attention  that  time.</p><p>Understanding  of  what  woke  him  up  was  obvious.</p><p>You  never  stirred.  Even  without  his  enhanced  senses,  he  would  have  been  able  to  see  you  were  out.  Although,  enhanced  senses  told  him  your  breathing  and  heart  rate  were  steady.  His  little  Omega  oozed  contentment.  It  rolled  off  you  thick  enough  for  him  to  touch.</p><p>Once  he  chased  away  whoever  was  at  the  door,  he  was  going  to  wake  you  up,  feed  you,  bathe  you  and  then  take  you  back  to  your  nest  to  get  you  dirty  all  over  again.</p><p>Irritability  rising,  Steve  grabbed  those  grey  sweatpants  from  yesterday  that  were  smelling  a  little  ripe,  tugged  them  on  and  got  up.  Whoever  was  at  the  door  was  just  going  to  have  to  deal  with  it.</p><p>Whoever  it  was  knocked  again.</p><p>A  grunting  growl  rumbled  around  deep  in  his  chest.  Steve  rubbed  his  face,  scratched  his  cheek  which  was  starting  to  get  itchy  from  stubble.  </p><p>When  he  got  to  the  apartment  door,  he  peered  through  the  peephole  and  immediately  began  to  adjust  himself.  “One  minute,”  he  grunted  as  he  tugged  up  those  sweatpants  that  were  hanging  off  his  hips,  somewhat  indecently  low.  When  he  pulled  them  on,  he  hadn’t  planned  to  keep  them  on  long.  Since  he  had  to  open  the  door,  he  didn’t  want  to  expose  himself  to  Doctor  Cho.</p><p>Finally  satisfied,  Steve  unlocked  the  door  then  opened  it.</p><p>Doctor  Cho  was  used  to  the  human  body.</p><p>Doctor  Cho  was  even  accustomed  to  smells,  she  had  seen  more  than  her  share  of  weird  and  crazy  stuff.  </p><p>However,  Doctor  Cho  would  never  stop  being  a  bit  taken  aback  when  seeing  the  Super  Soldier,  or  Thor,  in  various  states  of  undress.  That  morning  was  no  different.  She’d  hoped  she  could  get  him  down  into  Medical  early,  before  the  entire  building  was  full.  She’d  hoped  she  hadn’t  bothered  him,  woken  him  up  too  early.  But  now  she  saw  that  she  had  and  one  whiff,  it  nearly  knocked  her  back  a  step.  All  her  training  was  what  kept  her  firmly  rooted  to  her  spot.  That  and  test  results.</p><p>“Good  morning  Captain  Rogers!”</p><p>Steve  made  a  questioning  face.</p><p>“I’ve  come  to  escort  you  down  to  my  lab  for  some  more  tests.”</p><p>Steve’s  face  grew  dubious.</p><p>“I  know,  I  only  said  once  during  your  rut.  But  your  labwork  yesterday  was  so  incredibly  different  from  your  normal  panel,  that  I  think  it  would  be  very  beneficial  for  us  to  chart  your  ruts  more  than  once  during  your  cycle.  It  seems  that  you  were  right  to  feel  so  alarmed.  Your  labwork  is  showing  hormone  levels  I’ve  never  seen  in  a  rut.  I  think  when  your  rut  has  run  it’s  course,  you’ll  be  very  interested  in  these  results.  They  may  give  you  a  better  understanding  of  your  own  unique  biology,  and  ease  your  mind.”</p><p>Steve  was  ready  to  kick  his  own  ass.</p><p>The  only  thing  that  kept  him  from  telling  Cho  no,  in  no  uncertain  terms,  was  you,  all  warm  and  cozy,  passed  out.  </p><p>You  needed  to  rest.</p><p>He’d  kept  you  up  late.  He’d  also  woken  you  up  a  few  times.  He  wasn’t  a  bit  remorseful.  Each  time  you’d  taken  him,  taken  his  knot  so  beautifully,  so  breathlessly,  like  you  were  made  just  for  him.</p><p>“Ok…”  he  answered  quietly,  “Let  me  freshen  up.”</p><p>Doctor  Cho  was  a  bit  skeptical.  “I’ll  wait  right  here  for  you.” </p><p>Of  course  she’d  wait  for  him.</p><p>He  gave  her  a  weak  smile  then  went  back  in  the  apartment.  </p><p>Quickly  as  he  could  so  he  could  get  it  over  with,  Steve  went  into  the  bathroom  to  brush  his  teeth  and  comb  fingers  through  his  messy  hair.  Brief  consideration  was  made  to  taking  a  shower.  Unfortunately  for  anyone  who  was  going  to  be  around  him,  Steve  was  just  unable  to  wash  away  the  evidence  of  his  rut.  It  was  just  unthinkable  for  him  to  clean  you  from  his  flesh.  Something  twisted  painfully  in  his  chest  at  the  thought.  He  needed  to  smell  you  on  his  skin.</p><p>What  he  did  do,  was  change  into  a  pair  of  fresh  sweat  pants  from  his  bag.  He  pulled  a  clean  shirt  over  his  head  before  leaning  over  to  kiss  you.</p><p>Steve  said  your  name.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Steve  stroked  your  back,  saying  your  name  again.</p><p>You  fidgeted  in  your  nest.  A  little  noise  came  from  you.  Yet  you  didn’t  wake.</p><p>Steve  elected  to  not  wake  you  up.  He  could  wake  you  up  later.  This  led  him  into  the  living  room  area  to  find  a  notepad  on  the  couch.  A  quick  note  was  written  that  he  went  to  Doctor  Cho’s  office  and  would  be  back  soon.  Said  notepad  was  put  on  the  nest  where  you’d  find  it.  Steve  then  slid  his  feet  into  sneakers  and  left.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Tony  could  not  believe  his  eyes.</p><p>No  sooner  had  he  stepped  out  of  the  Quinjet  and  into  the  compound,  a  pep  in  his  step  at  the  successful  mission.  With  Steve  off  rutting  his  heart  out,  wherever  it  was  he  went,  Tony  didn’t  have  to  write  up  his  after-action  report  right  away.  Natasha  didn’t  care  when  he  did  it.  So  he’d  do  it  later.</p><p>However,  upon  sending  Pepper  a  downright  spicy  text  to  announce  his  imminent  arrival  home,  he  stopped  dead  in  his  tracks.</p><p>Was  that  Rogers?</p><p>Rogers  never  spent  his  rut  at  the  compound.  Spangles  always  left  information  on  where  he  could  be  reached  and  would  return  refreshed,  clear  headed  and  ready  to  work.</p><p>Yet,  unless  his  eyes  betrayed  him,  he  watched  the  statuesque  Alpha,  hands  shoved  in  his  pockets,  head  down,  following  Doctor  Cho  into  Medical.</p><p>Tony  cocked  his  head.</p><p>Indeed  it  was  Spangles.</p><p>When  Natasha  walked  by  him  toward  their  offices,  Tony  darted  after  her  knowing  that  she  would  know.  Natasha  and  Steve  were  attached  at  the  hip.  </p><p>“Hey…Romanaov…”</p><p>Natasha  kept  walking.  She  was  flipping  through  something  on  a  tablet  while  walking.</p><p>“What’s  Roger’s  still  doing  here?”</p><p>Natasha  continued  to  walk  through  doors  that  opened  automatically,  never  slowing  down  or  looking  up  once.</p><p>Tony  was  hot  on  her  heels.</p><p>“Why  is  he  still  here?  You’re  in  the  know.”</p><p>Natasha  knew  why  Steve  was  still  in  the  building.  She  didn’t  know  why  he  was  going  to  Medical,  but  she  knew  where  he  was  spending  his  rut  and  with  whom,  as  she  possessed  the  keen  ability  to  mind  her  business.  Steve  had  opened  up  a  good  bit  to  her  when  they  were  mission  planning.  Not  that  she  was  about  to  blab.  It  wasn’t  her  style.  “Maybe  you  should  go  ask  him.”</p><p>That  wasn’t  going  to  happen.</p><p>“Is  he  spending  his  rut  here  with  someone?”</p><p>Natasha  didn’t  even  dignify  that  with  a  response,  as  she  neared  closer  and  closer  to  her  office.</p><p>Tony  hurried  to  jump  in  front  of  her,  cutting  her  off.  It  made  the  red  head  pause  and  observe  him  coolly.  She  arched  an  eyebrow  in  question.  This  led  Tony  to  step  back.  Hands  went  up  and  a  good-natured  expression  came  over  his  face.  “Come  on  Romanov.  We’re  a  team  here.  I  thought  we  learned  our  lesson  about  secrets.”</p><p>Not  for  one  second  did  Natasha  buy  what  he  was  selling.</p><p>Nor  did  she  believe  he’d  let  this  go.  </p><p>“Stark,”  she  smiled  dangerously,  making  Tony  step  back  again.  “Just  because  you  like  everyone  on  earth  to  know  what’s  going  on  with  your  life,  doesn’t  mean  everyone  on  the  team  wants  the  same.  Some  of  us  value  our  privacy.”  When  she  stepped  forward,  he  jumped  aside  to  let  her  pass,  although  he  didn’t  follow  the  Black  Widow.  </p><p>Instead  Tony  narrowed  his  eyes,  he  pursed  his  lips  and  considered  what  she’d  told  him.</p><p>The  game  was  most  certainly  afoot.  </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Most  unhappily,  Steve  donated  blood  and  semen.  </p><p>He  got  poked  and  prodded,  his  temperature  taken  and  asked  dozens  of  questions  by  Doctor  Cho  and  her  assistant.</p><p>Downright  moodily,  he  sat  in  a  chair  in  a  spotless  exam  room  feeling  like  a  surly  teenager.  Slouched  down,  legs  open,  hands  shoved  in  his  pockets  as  Doctor  Cho  made  notes  on  a  computer.  Cataloguing  the  serial  numbers  of  his  samples  that  were  about  to  be  sent  to  the  inhouse  lab.</p><p>When  Doctor  Cho  said  she’d  be  right  back,  he  grunted  a  response  and  remained  in  the  chair.</p><p>When  he  was  finally  alone,  his  head  dropped  back  against  the  wall.  </p><p>God  he  couldn’t  wait  to  get  back  upstairs.</p><p>Not  only  was  he  hungry  and  horny,  he  knew  for  a  fact  you  were  up  from  the  text  you  sent.  He  was  toeing  the  dangerously  thin  line  of  discomfort  and  misery.  </p><p>Voices  walked  by  the  exam  room  door  and  he  lifted  his  head.</p><p>He  wasn’t  about  to  get  up  or  anything,  he  just  lifted  his  head  and  in  doing  so  he  noticed  the  computer  was  still  on,  still  logged  in,  still  logged  in  under  Cho’s  user  name.</p><p>Steve  hadn’t  planned  to  do  anything  until  he  was  up  on  his  feet,  surprising  himself.</p><p>Tony  made  fun  of  him  and  his  initial  lack  of  knowledge  about  technology  straight  from  the  ice.  Steve  humored  his  teammate.  However,  Natasha  had  spent  a  good  amount  of  time  getting  him  acclimated  quite  quickly  to  modern  technology.  Therefore,  it  wasn’t  long  till  he  was  going  through  Doctor  Cho’s  patient  records.</p><p>Was  it  wrong  for  him  to  be  looking  up  your  records?  Yes.</p><p>Was  it  an  invasion  of  your  privacy?  Yes.</p><p>Did  Steve  care?  No.</p><p>Most  everything  he  already  knew  anyway.  Medical  records  from  your  stay  in  the  hospital  had  been  included  in  Natasha’s  Mission  Report  from  the  previous  year.  But  that  wasn’t  what  he  was  after.  Not  that  he  even  knew  what  he  was  after.  He  was  just  curious.</p><p>More  than  a  little  grateful  for  his  enhanced  senses,  Steve  half  listened  for  anyone  out  in  the  hallway  while  he  flipped  through  old  information.  </p><p>His  eyes  scanned  the  information  as  quickly  as  he  scrolled.  Up  till  he  saw  a  few  new  notes  from  last  week.  This  got  Steve’s  attention.  He  paused  in  his  scrolling  and  clicked  on  that  particular  date,  pulling  up  a  little  notepad  where  Doctor  Cho  had  outlined  a  visit  with  his  Omega. </p><p>…complaint  centering  around  dizziness.  Three  to  four  a  week  lasting  twenty  to  thirty  minutes,  no  history  of  vertigo.  Possibly  caused  by  stress?  Hormone  changes?  Full  Panel  Bloodwork  ordered.  Previous  severe  concussion  in  patient  medical  history  a  year  ago – if  symptoms  persist,  send  to  radiology  for…</p><p>Steve  was  already  looking  for  the  labwork  that  coincided  with  that  date.</p><p>You’d  never  once  mentioned  being  dizzy.  You  were  pretty  vocal  too.</p><p>Someone  considerably  bigger  than  Doctor  Cho  was  walking  down  the  hallway.  If  they  came  in  the  exam  room,  he  didn’t  care,  Steve  was  busy.  </p><p>The  feet  kept  walking  as  he  found  the  results  with  the  date  he  was  looking  for  and  upon  opening  them,  his  eyes  widened.  </p><p>No  wonder  you  were  dizzy.  Just  seeing  your  bloodwork  made  him  wince.  He’d  on  numerous  occasions  seen  bloodwork  results  and  knew  about  where  various  levels  should  have  been  for  Omega’s  your  age.</p><p>Your  hormone  levels  were  just  beyond  extraordinarily  high.</p><p>None  of  your  levels  were  near  where  they  needed  to  be.  Doctor  Cho  had  made  a  note  for  more  bloodwork  to  be  done  in  a  month.  She’d  also  made  a  note  that  she  planned  to  suggest  a  course  of  hormone  stabilizers.  You  had  yet  to  make  a  new  appointment.</p><p>Something  clicked.</p><p>Some  part  of  his  brain  went  back  to  the  time  before  he  volunteered  for  the  Super  Soldier  Program.  Back  when  he  worked  in  the  newspaper  office  with  all  those  Omegas,  a  little  scrawny  Alpha  in  a  sea  of  women.  Something  about  that  reminded  him  of  what  he  was  looking  at  on  the  computer.  What…he  wasn’t  sure.  It  would  come  to  him.  Of  that  he  was  absolutely  certain.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Tony  wandered  around  Accounting  looking  for  you.</p><p>Pepper  was  in  a  meeting,  which  meant  he  had  some  time  to  kill  before  catching  up  with  his  Omega.</p><p>Maybe  he  could  finally  get  you  to  sign  off  on  his  budget  for  his  plans.  If  not,  he  had  more  plans.  Tony  had  so  many  plans  and  since  Rogers  had  bolted  from  Medical  before  he  could  track  him  down,  Tony  had  to  do  something  to  occupy  himself.  Unless  he  wanted  to  do  after  action  reports  and  that  was  a  hard  no.  </p><p>Tony  still  had  too  much  adrenaline  in  his  system.  He  was  a  bit  too  amped  up  to  pull  desk  duty.</p><p>An  investigation  sounded  just  right  for  now.</p><p>In  one  of  his  more  favorite  pair  of  relaxed  fit  jeans  and  a  band  t-shirt,  Tony  eventually  found  his  way  to  your  office.</p><p>Most  unfortunately,  Tony  was  surprised  to  find  your  door  both  shut  and  locked.</p><p>This  got  his  attention.</p><p>“She  took  the  week  off.”</p><p>Tony  turned,  surprised  by  this  news  and  that  salty  voice.</p><p>Greeted  to  the  sight  of  a  head  of  blonde  curls  on  a  young  face,  no  recognition  flickered  which  meant  he  probably  hadn’t  said  anything  to  make  her  salty  at  him,  Tony  recovered  quickly.  He  plastered  on  a  devastating  smile  and  did  his  best  to  appear  charming  as  usual,  his  citrusy  smell  growing  more  powerful.  </p><p>“Alison?”</p><p>“Janet,”  the  woman  corrected  and  as  she  approached  her  office  door.  Tony  could  make  out  cat  earring  hanging  from  her  ears,  her  pink  dress  and  blazer  looked  soft  and  harmless.  Tony  knew  Pepper,  Tony  knew  better  than  to  underestimate  women,  it  was  how  he  wound  up  with  a  sad  little  Omega  living  in  his  closet  for  six  months.</p><p>“Janet…”  he  purred,  “Love  those  shoes.  Pepper  has  a  pair  just  like  them.”</p><p>At  one  time  in  his  life,  Tony  thought  monogamy  was  just  absurd. </p><p>Never  could  he  imagine  settling  down  with  just  one  Omega.  Two  or  three  were  the  reasonable  options  he’d  told  himself  back  in  the  day.  </p><p>Now  he  knew  better.</p><p>Now  he  had  an  Omega,  one  who  had  her  own  little  partner  in  crime  and  it  was  downright  exhausting  looking  after  both  women.  He  couldn’t  imagine  if  he  was  bonded  to  two  Omega’s.  Yet  here  he  was,  feeling  like  the  older  brother  he’d  never  been  and  with  a  gesture  at  your  locked  office  door,  “Where’s…”</p><p>Janet  got  this  look.</p><p>Tony  knew  that  look.</p><p>“You  haven’t  heard?”</p><p>No,  he  most  definitely  hadn’t  heard.</p><p>“I’ve  been  otherwise  occupied…please,  share…”</p><p>Janet  hesitated.  She  stepped  forward  to  peer  up  and  down  the  only  somewhat  busy  hallway.  “I  wouldn’t  want  to  gossip.”</p><p>Not  for  one  second  did  he  believe  this  woman.</p><p>However,  Tony  really  needed  your  signature  on  a  few  things.  Plus,  if  there  was  gossip  going  around  about  you  at  the  office,  he’d  need  to  put  the  ki-bash  on  that.  “It’s  not  gossip…if  it’s  true.” </p><p>Pleased,  Janet  cried  out.  “That’s  what  I  tell  people!”</p><p>And  he  knew  he  was  in.</p><p>He  leaned  closer  in  the  doorway  to  hear.  Janet  lowered  her  voice,  she  then  glanced  at  your  aforementioned  office  door.  “Ok…so,  you  didn’t  hear  it  from  me,  but,  she  took  the  week  off  to  help  Captain  Rogers  through  his  rut…”</p><p>Tony  was  unable  to  even.  “That  geriatric  bastard!”</p><p>Taking  this  as  encouragement  from  a  captive  solo  audience,  she  went  on,  “The  two  of  them  were  in  there  this  week  having  sex.  They  did  it  twice.  It  stunk up  the  office.  She  must  have  sprayed  a  bottle  of  FreBreeze  in  there  but  it  still  smells  like  depravity.”</p><p>More  to  himself  than  Janet,  he  muttered,  “I’m  gonna  have  to  kill  him  now…”</p><p>“Oh…there’s  more…”</p><p>Of  course  there  was  more.  Why  wouldn’t  there  be  more?</p><p>Janet  leaned  even  closer.  “This  week  her  husband  came  by  and  they  got  in  a  huge  fight.  Security  had  to  escort  him  out  of  the  building.”</p><p>Ok,  so  maybe  he  wouldn’t  kill  Steve  yet.  Plus  Steve  was  hopped  up  on  rut  hormones.  He  could  kill  Steve  later.  With  a  cock  of  his  head,  he  encouraged  this  fountain  of  knowledge  to  go  on.</p><p>“It  happened  down  front  in  the  lobby.  I  just,  you  know,  happened  to  be  on  my  way  out  of  the  building  when  I  saw  it  happen.  Apparently  he  refuses  to  sign  divorce  papers.  Why  she  didn’t  break  his  nose  too  is  a  mystery.  Did  you  know  Captain  Roger’s  attacked  my  nephew?”</p><p>Steve  could  wait.</p><p>Tony  had  another  fish  to  fry.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>According  to  Tony,  there  was  nothing  sexier  than  seeing  Pepper  behind  a  big  power  desk,  running  a  massive  company  with  his  name  on  it.</p><p>Over  the  years,  he’d  gotten  lip  from  other  Alphas.</p><p>How  could  he  hand  his  family  legacy  over  to  an  Omega  he  wasn’t  even  bonded  to  at  the  time?</p><p>How  could  he  chase  after  one  Omega  that  clearly  wanted  little  to  do  with  him,  or  his  antics,  or  his  Avenging?</p><p>How  could  he  not?</p><p>“Where  have  you  been  all  day?”</p><p>Her  voice  was  music  to  his  ears.  Her  scent,  it  made  him  hard  just  entering  the  room.  Sweet  flowers  and  crisp  champagne,  it  was  so  Pepper.</p><p>She  glanced  up  at  him  from  whatever  she  was  signing  on  her  desk.</p><p>It  pleased  him  greatly  that  she’d  noticed  he  was  gone.  Perhaps  even  missed  him?</p><p>Casually  as  he  could,  he  strolled  over  to  one  of  the  chairs  and  then  sat  down  on  the  desk,  earning  another  look  from  his  Omega,  his  partner,  his  Pepper.  </p><p>She’d  missed  her  heat.</p><p>Normally  they  were  synced  up.  Normally  his  rut  pushed  her  into  a  heat.  Normally  and  all  that,  his  brown  eyes  roved  over  her  classic  blue  sheath  dress  that  brought  out  her  eyes  and  was  so  CEO  appropriate.  He  wanted  to  just  drop  to  his  knees  in  worship.  </p><p>“My  suit  needed  some  work  and  then  I  took  it  out  for  some  tests.  Did  you  miss  me?”</p><p>She  gave  him  a  look,  a  little  smirk  and  reached  over  to  brush  her  fingers  through  his  thick  hair  just  how  he  liked.  “I  always  miss  you.”</p><p>When  those  blue  eyes  of  hers  looked  at  him  like  that,  urges  stirred,  how  badly  he  wanted  to  breed  her,  fill  her  with  a  part  of  him  that  would  grow  inside,  be  something  that  just  the  two  of  them  created.  He’d  hoped  that  this  heat  would  be  the  time.  How  badly  he  wanted  to  hold  their  pup.</p><p>Something  wasn’t  right.</p><p>Something  was  off  with  her  scent.  </p><p>It  was  why  he  didn’t  immediately  want  to  know  why  she  wasn’t  sharing  the  recent  Roger’s  news.  Her  scent  was  stronger.  Perhaps  a  bit  more  than  usual,  yet  he  picked  up  no  traces  of  heat  pheromones.  </p><p>“You  feeling  ok  Pep?”</p><p>Tony  was  rewarded  with  that  smile  she  gave  him  when  she  didn’t  want  to  bother  him  with  whatever  was  going  on  inside  of  her.</p><p>Now  she  was  his,  now  she  was  his  Omega.  Now  she  was  his  partner.  Eventually  he’d  convince  her  to  be  his  wife.  That  seemed  to  be  harder  to  convince  her  of  than  he’d  initially  anticipated.</p><p>The  pen  in  her  other  hand  dropped.  Elegant  fingers  reached  up  to  rub  her  forehead.</p><p>Six  months  ago,  he  may  not  have  noticed  all  the  little  signs.</p><p>Six  months  ago,  he’d  been  so  different.</p><p>He’d  been  wrapped  up  in  Avenging,  in  creating  a  safeguard  around  the  earth.  Now  was  different.  Tony  was  different  now.  One  murderous  robot  later  and  everything  was  different. </p><p>How  he  regretted  so  much.  How  he  regretted  the  days  when  he  took  her  for  granted.</p><p>“I’m  ok,”  she  frowned,  rubbing  that  spot.  “Just  a  little  dizzy.”</p><p>Dizzy  again.</p><p>Tony  hopped  down  and  went  behind  her  desk,  where  there  was  a  little  mini-fridge.  He  took  out  a  bottle  of  water  and  two  of  the  little  plastic  snack  containers.  “First  time  today?”</p><p>Pepper  nodded.</p><p>When  she  felt  his  strong  hands  on  her  slim  shoulders,  she  opened  her  eyes.  A  bottle  of  water  was  on  her  desk,  already  opened.  </p><p>Tony  had  already  done  all  the  research  he  needed  to  do,  all  the  research  that  could  be  done.  Just  how  she  liked  her  rubbed  her  shoulders,  he  moved  up  her  elegant  neck.  “Eat  something.  Have  some  water  Omega.  That  makes  you  feel  better.”</p><p>Pepper  scrunched  her  face  but  listened  to  her  Alpha.  She  plucked  a  red  grape  from  one  container  and  a  wedge  of  cheese  from  the  other.</p><p>Her  heats  used  to  match  up  to  his  ruts.  They  used  to  follow  the  other  by  a  day.</p><p>Now,  no,  not  for  months.</p><p>Stress,  a  heat  haze  or  maybe  it  was  something  unknown,  something  he  couldn’t  fix,  the  mere  thought  was  horrifying.  All  of  those  possible  options  he’d  come  up  with  and  not  one  he  could  do  anything  about.  It  wasn’t  like  he  could  fire  her  and  lock  her  in  the  penthouse  to  get  rid  of  stress,  that  would  have  had  the  opposite  result.  A  heat  haze  wasn’t  something  she’d  ever  had  before,  but  being  dizzy  and  lightheaded  were  signs.  If  only  he  could  get  her  blood  to  test  without  her  knowing.  There  wasn’t  anything  he  could  do  to  make  her  body  get  back  on  track.  Some  things  were  out  of  even  his  control.</p><p>“Were  you  dizzy  yesterday?”</p><p>Pepper  chewed  thoughtfully  then  shook  her  head.  When  Tony  leaned  down  to  kiss  her  neck,  her  throat,  down  to  his  mark  on  her  Mating  Gland,  she  tilted  her  head  to  the  side,  closed  her  eyes,  breathed  deeply.  “No…oh…oh  no,  no.  Saturday  I  was,  Saturday  morning.  But  it  passed  by  lunch.  I’m  sure  it’s  nothing.  Probably  just  allergies.”</p><p>Smells  of  citrus  invaded  her  senses,  calmed  her,  soothed  her,  brought  out  soft  sighing  noises  from  her  lips.</p><p>“Have  some  water  Omega.”</p><p>Any  questions  that  Tony  had  for  strawberry  blonde,  who  had  become  the  center  of  his  existence,  could  wait.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Something  breaking  woke  Steve  up.</p><p>Something  glass  shattered  loudly  and  his  eyes  opened,  as  if  instantaneously  from  his  nap.  Which  seemed  to  be  all  he  was  doing  during  this  rut.  Days  passed  that  were  filled  with  eating,  sleeping  and  rutting.  His  basic  most  primal  needs  had  boiled  down  to  food,  fucking  and  napping  with  some  happening  considerably  more  than  others.</p><p>Soft  swearing  followed  the  glass  breaking  noises  which  not  only  had  his  eyes  opening,  but  a  muscular  arm  stretching  out  over  an  empty  nest  and  before  he  even  realized  it,  he  was  up  on  his  feet.  </p><p>He  didn’t  bother  to  call  your  name.  No  one  else  was  in  your  little  apartment.</p><p>Most  all  of  his  needs  were  satisfied  for  the  moment.  However  long  his  brief  nap  had  lasted  left  him  feeling  practically  spry.  He  wasn’t  hungry.  And  he  especially  wasn’t  hungry  when  he  padded  towards  the  kitchen,  getting  a  whiff  of  something  spicy,  garlicky,  something  Italian.</p><p>His  nose  scrunched  up  at  the  smell.</p><p>His  other  most  primal  urge  was  rearing  up  however,  demanding  to  be  met  with  every  step  he  took  towards  the  kitchen.  Seeing  your  ass  stick  up  in  the  air  as  you  cleaned  up  what  appeared  to  be  a  broken  jar  of  marinara  sauce  didn’t  help.  He  could  have  cared  less  what  had  splattered  on  your  kitchen  floor.</p><p>All  you  had  on  was  one  of  his  white  undershirts,  which  was  now  splattered  with  red  sauce  and  those  damn  boxers  with  the  little  Hulks  on  them,  which  he  was  really  going  to  look  forward  to  ripping  off  you.  </p><p>Once  all  the  glass  was  picked  up  that  was.</p><p>The  last  thing  he  needed  was  you  getting  stitches,  that  would  seriously  cut  into  his  plans  for  the  day.  He’d  really  enjoyed  taking  a  shower  with  you  last  night  and  was  hoping  to  repeat  that  performance.  Plus,  the  thought  of  taking  you  in  front  of  the  bathroom  sink,  where  you  could  watch  yourself  in  the  mirror  was  highly  appealing.</p><p>“Careful,”  you  warned  him,  “Stay  back.  There’s  glass  everywhere.”  </p><p>Oh  that  was  so  cute.</p><p>With  what  one  could  call  ease,  Steve  hopped  over  the  spilled  sauce  to  get  on  the  other  side  of  the  small  kitchen.  Over  where  the  trash  can  was,  so  he  could  help  you  before  you,  you  without  the  accelerated  healing,  could  cut  yourself.  Now  Steve  remembered  Tony’s  lecture  about  the  recyclables.  Steve  just  didn’t  care.  He  grabbed  the  trash  can  and  began  to  pick  up  chunks  of  glass  from  the  jar.</p><p>The  look  you  gave  him  was  pure  sarcasm.  “Show  off.”</p><p>Steve  couldn’t  help  himself.  </p><p>He  held  out  the  plastic  trash  can  for  you  and  may  have  peered  down  the  deep  collar  of  his  own  shirt,  enjoying  how  it  looked  on  you,  hung  off  you.  There  was  sauce  on  your  hands.  Your  hair  was  down  and  damp.  Had  you  showered  without  him?  During  his  nap?  He  was  almost  hurt.  He’d  just  have  to  get  you  filthy  again  so  he  could  join  you.</p><p>“What  happened?”</p><p>“I  dropped  a  jar,”  was  your  response.</p><p>You  couldn’t  help  it.  You  were  hungry.  You  got  hangry.  You  weren’t  hangry  yet,  but,  you  were  dizzy  again.  Food  would  help.  Food  always  helped.</p><p>All  that  sarcasm  was  not  lost  on  Steve.</p><p>Usually  he  just  adored  that  little  mouth  of  yours.  However,  since  a  couple  days  ago,  when  he’d  been  perusing  your  medical  records,  he  hadn’t  been  able  to  get  the  poisoned  fruit  he  found  out  of  his  head.  It  wasn’t  like  he  could  just  bring  it  up.  That  would  be  just  the  type  of  thing  you’d  be  upset  over.  And  while  he’d  not  be  opposed  to  a  repeat  of  the  Great  Headache  Argument  in  his  office,  he  knew  he  wasn’t  in  the  right  mindset.  He  wouldn’t  be  as  calm,  or  collected,  as  he’d  been  in  his  office.  “No  kidding?  You  slip  or  something?”</p><p>He  could  fish  for  information  though.</p><p>He  could  watch  you.  He  noticed  you  sink  fingers  into  your  hair,  in  that  way  you  did  when  you  were  irritated,  stressed  or  tired.  He’d  noticed  you  did  it  to  calm  yourself,  in  a  soothing  sort  of  way.  Your  scent  was  potent  too.  Granted  so  was  his,  so  that  wasn’t  anything  to  go  on.</p><p>Your  body  could  have  been  reacting  to  his.</p><p>It  wasn’t  lost  on  him  that  he  could  have  been  making  you  dizzy.  However,  he  would  have  been  dizzy  too.  That  clearly  wasn’t  it  and  he  hadn’t  noticed  any  changes  to  your  scent.</p><p>A  quacking  noise  made  you  perk  up.</p><p>Your  phone  quacked  whenever  you  got  a  text  from  Pepper.</p><p>In  response  to  that,  your  scent  changed.  You  smelled  of  guilt  and  fear.  Of  that  he  was  certain.  Your  body  tensed  as  you  looked  around  the  sauce  covered  floor  for  the  quacking  device.</p><p>Steve  could  feel  it  vibrate  against  his  calf.  </p><p>He,  however,  was  far  too  interested  in  your  reaction  to  just  hand  the  offending  piece  of  technology  over.  </p><p>Had  he  been  a  better,  less  hormonal  man,  he  would  have  given  it  to  you.  </p><p>Instead,  he  watched  you  look  around  for  it  and  only  when  your  back  was  to  him,  as  you  peered  under  the  small  two-person  kitchen  table,  did  he  reach  behind  him  to  grab  the  quacking  device.</p><p>And  then  he  saw  what  you  didn’t  want  him  to  see.</p><p>Two  texts  from  Pepper.</p><p>One  totally  made  his  ill-gotten  information  usable  and  the  other  just  pissed  him  the  hell  off.</p><p>“Steve,”  his  name  came  from  your  lips.</p><p>It  was  done.  It  was  over.</p><p>You  knew  by  the  look  on  his  face,  you  could  see  his  anger,  his  confusion,  his  righteous  outrage  form  and  you  just  knew,  knew  for  absolute  fact  certain  that  your  plans  for  a  nice  relaxing  mid-afternoon  snack  were  done  and  over.</p><p>One  message  back  wasn’t  so  bad.</p><p>You  knew  you  could  handle  one.</p><p>The  second  one  you  weren’t  so  sure  about  and  then,  then,  because  the  universe  just  hated  you,  your  phone  quacked  again  and  Steve’s  expression  darkened.  Darkened  to  such  a  point  you  felt  a  familiar  tightening,  coiling.</p><p>It  really  wasn’t  fair,  how  hot  he  was  when  he  was  mad.</p><p>You  extended  you  hand  to  see  your  messages.  You  know,  so  you  knew  exactly  what  you  were  dealing  with  and  like  a  champ,  he  gave  you  your  phone.</p><p>As  expected,  the  first  one  wasn’t  so  bad.</p><p>-I’m  horribly  dizzy  too.  Cho  wants  me  to  go  see  a  Radiologist.  Like  I  have  time  to  do  that?  You  need  to  do  it  since  we  probably  caught  the  same  thing.  Spa  day  on  me  if  u  do-</p><p>So,  you’d  have  to  explain  how  dizzy  you  were  feeling.  </p><p>It  was  doable.</p><p>You  could  come  back  from  that  text.</p><p>The  others  however  were  a  big  no,  not  with  the  way  he  was  stinking  up  your  kitchen  with  the  smells  of  vanilla  and  cinnamon,  completely  wiping  away  hints  of  tomato  with  garlic  and  oregano.</p><p>-FYI  Im  almost  positive  Tony  was  in  the  city  threatening  ur  ex  the  other  day  into  signing  divorce  papers.  He  called  the  office  yesterday.  Says  he’ll  sign  if  he  can  speak  with  u. will  u?-</p><p>There  was  no  coming  back  from  that  one.  Nope.</p><p>You  didn’t  need  to  take  a  peek  at  Pepper’s  third  text,  but  you  did,  because  why  wouldn’t  you?</p><p>-We  can  do  it  in  the  city  next  week.  We  can  make  a  girls  day.  SPA DAY!!!  Say  yes.  Im  telling  him  yes.  Ill  bring  Happy  too.  Itll  be  fine.  Itll  finally  be  over  all  of  it  wll  be  over  im  saying  yes-</p><p>Texting  always  declined  in  quality  when  Pepper  rushed.  </p><p>Something  in  your  chest  seemed  to  tighten  and  not  from  the  look  Steve  was  sending  you.  He  wasn’t  helping  matters.  But  as  you  looked  over  her  words  again,  you  could  literally  feel  something  tighten  in  your  chest.  </p><p>“Are  you  serious?  You  seriously  did  not  tell  me  about  this?”</p><p>You  only  sort  of  heard  Steve.  You  heard  him.  But  it  was  a  case  of  in  one  ear  and  out  the  other,  as  that  twisting  became  sort  of  painful,  it  bordered  on  a  serious  case  of  indigestion.</p><p>You  should  have  sent  a  reply  back  to  Pepper.</p><p>You  should  have  said  something  to  Steve.</p><p>Your  hand  went  to  your  chest,  square  between  your  breasts  and  with  a  marinara  sauce  covered  hand,  you  rubbed  the  uncomfortable  spot.</p><p>“Steve…”  you  attempted  to  placate  him  as  you  tried  to  think.</p><p>Steve  said  your  name  back  but  louder.</p><p>“It’s  not  a  big  deal,”  you  tried.  “It’s  nothing.  I  was  hoping  to  just  get  it  done  and  over  with  and  just  put  everything  in  the  past,  shut  the  door,  lock  the  key  and  start  fresh.”</p><p>Steve  only  grew  louder,  “Why  didn’t  you  tell  me?”</p><p>You  were  picking  up  hints  of  agitation,  hints  of  fury,  hints  of  something  that  made  hairs  on  the  back  of  your  neck  and  arms  stand  up.  Finding  your  fingers  too  slippery  to  text  back,  you  tossed  your  phone  into  the  living  room  area  of  the  small  space,  then  wiped  your  hand  on  Steve’s  white  shirt.  And  suddenly,  you  took  a  tone.  “Because  I  don’t  want  you  to  know.  It’s  in  the  past.  You  are  something  good,  you  are  my  future.  I  don’t  want  you  tainted  by  him  or  that  night.”</p><p>When  you  spoke  to  him  that  way,  he  bristled.</p><p>His  little  Omega  was  getting  mouthy,  lippy  even.  All  the  sauce  was  forgotten.  Steve  didn’t  even  care  anymore  that  his  grey  sweatpants  were  in  the  red  stuff.  He  was  so  going  to  need  new  clothes  when  this  rut  was  over.    </p><p>“You  are  my  Omega  now!  I  realize  that  everything  is  still  new  and  we  haven’t  had  an  appropriate  discussion  about  our  bond,  or  the  future,  but  I  do  expect  you  to  keep  me  abreast  of  important  things  happening  in  your  life!”  And  yes,  he  used  that  Tone,  his  Alpha  Voice,  that  decibel  that  hit  you  down  to  your  very  marrow.  Steve  wasn’t  talking  about  your  dizzy  spells.  He’d  figured  that  out  and  filed  it  away  for  another  time.  “Tell  me  Omega!  Tell  me  what  you  want.  What  do  you  want?  Tell  me  what  Pepper  gets  to  know  that  I  don’t!  Now!”</p><p>He’d  seen  that  look  in  your  eyes.  Steve  knew,  if  you  had  so  much  as  a  spoon,  you’d  disembowel  him  at  the  very  least.</p><p>You  jerked.</p><p>Whatever  had  been  coiling,  twisting,  tightening  in  your  chest  broke.  You  felt  it  break.  It  broke  the  way  a  bone  would  and  had  you  not  been  shouting  right  back  at  him,  you  would  have  been  able  to  focus  on  it  more,  feel  it  more.  As  it  was,  your  fingers  dug  into  the  cotton  shirt  you  wore  hard  enough  to  rip  into  the  soft  fabric.</p><p>You  had  to  tell  him.  He’d  used  his  voice  on  you.  </p><p>It  was  out  of  your  hands.</p><p>Through  gritted  teeth…you  snarled  at  him,  “I  want  my  name  back…I  want  to  live  with  you.  I  don’t  care  if  it’s  here  or  wherever.  I  want  to  feel  like  myself  again.  You  make  me  feel  alive  and  I  don’t  want  you  to  look  at  me  differently.”  If  anything,  you  became  vicious,  snarling,  like  a  caged  little  animal.  Something  had  broken  inside  of  you  that  was  not  happy  with  that  tone,  that  way  he  spoke  to  you,  that  way  he  demanded  answers  from  you.  “Like  that…the  way  you’re  looking  at  me  now!”</p><p>On  your  neck  your  mark  began  to  burn,  throb.</p><p>Steve  began  to  pick  up  on  it  too.  He  noticed  when  you’d  begun  to  rub  your  chest,  but  he  especially  noticed  now,  now  that  you  clawed  at  your  chest.  Your  swollen  broken  Mating  Gland  that  had  scabbed  over  from  yesterday  drew  his  attention.  Over  your  gland  were  scars  from  other  times  he  had  bitten  you,  those  scars  were  getting  red,  flushing.</p><p>“I’m  not  looking  at  you  differently!  I’m  mad!  I’m  upset!  But  I  am  not  looking  at  you  any  other  way  than  usual!”</p><p>If  you  had  your  phone,  you  would  have  chucked  it  at  him.</p><p>As  it  was,  you  lifted  your  hand,  you  had  something  to  say  to  him  and  then,  again,  your  chest  throbbed.  Red,  you  saw  red,  your  ears  rang,  your  skin  broke  out  in  a  sweat.  At  least  you  weren’t  dizzy.  You  couldn’t  keep  fighting  with  him  when  you  were  dizzy.</p><p>Steve  rose  up  on  his  knees  and  into  the  sauce,  over  to  you,  grabbed  your  face  between  his  hands  so  he  could  look  into  your  eyes.</p><p>You  on  the  other  hand,  shoved  him  back,  or  tried.  </p><p>You  wiggled  from  his  grip.  You  gasped.  You  sank  your  hands  into  your  hair  as  something  familiar  settled  down  into  your  blood  and  bones,  possibly  even  deeper.  “She’s  back.”</p><p>This  led  Steve  to  raise  his  eyebrows,  more  than  a  tad  slightly  concerned.</p><p>“She’s  back…”</p><p>When  Steve  took  your  face  between  his  hands  again,  he  held  on  tightly.  “Your  Omega?”</p><p>For  the  first  time  since  Crossbones  had  you,  you  could  feel  her  again,  you  could  smell  yourself.  You  could  smell  your  scent  of  tea  with  lemon,  shortbread  cookies  and  a  hint  of  something  spicier  now  simmering  beneath  the  surface.  Steve’s  mark  burned  viciously  on  your  neck.  Just  the  scent  of  his  rut  hit  you  differently.  It  still  smelled  like  him  and  rut  all  mixed  together  in  a  wickedly  debauched  aroma. </p><p>You  wanted  to  submit  to  him.  You  wanted  to  be  a  good  girl.  You  wanted  to  please  him,  to  satisfy  his  rut.  You  needed  to  submit.  You  needed  to  connect  with  him  again,  now,  you  needed  that  connection,  that  claiming,  you  needed  to  feel  him  seared  down  onto  your  soul.</p><p>Desperation  reared  her  ugly  head.</p><p>Greedily  your  hands  shot  out  to  wrap  around  his  thick  neck.  Your  mouth  was  on  his,  your  hands  were  up  in  his  hair.  You  were  kissing  him.  You  were  biting  him,  nipping  him,  tasting  him.  </p><p>You  were  so  overwhelmed.  You  clung  to  him  like  a  buoy  in  a  storm.  Your  words  were  hot  and  wet  against  his  ear,  “You  have  to  claim  me.  Claim  me.  I  need  you  again.  I  need  you  right  now.  I  need  you  inside  of…”</p><p>And  you  weren’t  on  the  floor  anymore.  </p><p>You  were  up  and  desperate,  you  needed  him  to  claim  you,  you  needed  that  again.  You  needed  him.  You  were  desperate  again.  </p><p>You  weren’t  in  heat.  </p><p>It  was  better.  It  was  so  much  better.</p><p>You  could  feel  things  shift,  bubble  up  from  whatever  primordial  ooze  they’d  congealed  in  that  night,  which  felt  so  long  ago.  </p><p>Steve  noticed  it  too  and  not  just  because  you  grabbed  him,  kissed  him,  wrapped  around  arms  around  him,  rubbing  against  him  hungrily.  Your  scent  remained  the  same.  Outwardly  nothing  seemed  too  different,  aside  from  marinara  sauce  all  over  and  your  inflamed  Mating  Gland.  When  he  looked  into  your  eyes  briefly,  felt  your  needy  hands,  your  greedy  words  and  desperation  that  practically  dripped  from  you…he  felt  you  tremble  against  his  feverish  chest.  It  was  almost  as  if  he  could  feel  your  Omega  start  to  chip  away  at  that  little  prison,  the  one  she’d  made  for  herself,  holed  up  in,  safely  hid  behind  so  nothing  could  ever  hurt  her  again.</p><p>He  picked  you  up  and  carried  you  over  to  the  little  table,  away  from  the  sauce  and  whatever  was  left  of  the  broken  glass.  </p><p>When  he  plopped  you  down,  you  desperately  clung  to  him,  all  but  pulling  him  up  on  the  table  with  you.</p><p>Incendiary,  those  were  what  those  words  you  said  were.</p><p>Frantic  hands  belonging  to  the  both  of  you  yanked  on  his  undershirt  till  it  was  off,  gone,  no  longer  hiding  you.  Steve’s  mouth  was  on  your  flesh.  His  lips  traced  over  your  scars,  licked  your  pulse  and  kissed  every  inch  his  mouth  came  into  contact  with.</p><p>Next  were  those  damn  purple  boxer  shorts  decorated  with  those  little  Hulks.</p><p>Steve  ripped  at  them,  till  he  could  throw  the  tattered  remains  aside.  </p><p>Your  bare  feet  pushed  his  sweats  down  his  hips.  You  were  ravenous.  It  was  all  you  could  think  about,  your  entire  existence  narrowed  down  to  the  way  he  made  you  feel.  Little  cries  came  from  you.  “Please…please…please…”</p><p>Mate.  Fuck.  Rut.</p><p>Everything  narrowed  down  to  that  for  him.  With  a  grip  on  your  hip,  Steve  flipped  you  over,  he  rolled  you  till  you  were  chest  down  on  that  small  table,  legs  hanging  off  the  end.  Taking  himself  in  hand  he  ran  his  tip  between  your  legs,  pushing  up  his  foreskin,  finding  you  so  incredibly  wet.</p><p>Both  your  palms  smacked  down  on  the  table  when  he  pushed  in,  with  one  fluid  powerful  movement.  Your  mouth  gaped  open.  </p><p>That  first  initial  time,  each  time,  was  always  so  snug,  so  overwhelming.  Feeling  him  stretch  you  was  intoxicating.  Just  the  sensation  of  him  pushing  into  you,  stroking  you  from  inside  out.  A  long  low  groan  came  from  you  as  Steve  began  to  rut.  Every  thrust  moved  the  table,  made  it  screech  against  the  floor.  </p><p>It  was  not  long  until  you  fell  into  the  same  haze  as  Steve.</p><p>Nothing  else  filled  your  head,  your  senses,  your  very  body  down  to  your  soul.  Sounds  of  flesh  slapping  and  groans,  moans,  filled  the  kitchen.  </p><p>“Grab  the  table…”  he  hissed  at  you.</p><p>No  sooner  did  you  reach  your  hands  out,  to  curl  your  fingers  over  the  end  of  the  table,  did  a  strong  hand  fall  between  your  shoulders.  Steve  knew  he  was  leaving  more  bruises  on  you.  New  bruises  would  pop  up  on  the  tops  of  your  thighs  from  where  you  kept  hitting  the  table.  Bruises  from  his  fingers  gripping  into  the  crook  of  your  hip  too.  Your  body  was  already  decorated  with  bruises  from  him  and  he  intended  to  leave  more,  he  wanted  to  see  his  marks  on  you.</p><p>Hearing  you  say  those  words,  those  specific  words.  Just  thinking  about  them  spurred  him  on  to  push  your  body  through  two  orgasms  without  slowing.  Claim  you,  it  was  what  you  asked,  you  wanted  to  be  claimed.  </p><p>He  would  gladly  fulfil  your  request.</p><p>He  would  knot  you  too.</p><p>First  though,  first  he  was  next,  he  was  about  to  climax  but  he  was  torn.  </p><p>Steve  wasn’t  about  to  pop  his  knot.  </p><p>And  you  wanted  to  be  claimed,  you  wanted  to  feel  that  ownership,  that  connection,  that  bond,  his  mark  flourish  in  this  incredibly  vulnerable  moment  for  you.  </p><p>Mind  made  up  as  you  gasped  against  the  table  in  post-orgasmic  bliss,  Steve  pulled  out  of  you.  Almost  roughly  he  flipped  you  over  once  more,  tangling  your  hands  and  making  incredibly  sexy  confused  noises  come  from  you.  Fisting  himself,  he  came,  he  came  all  over  your  soft  stomach.  White  cum  landed  on  your  damp  flesh  softly.  A  few  more  pumps  was  all  it  took  for  his  release  to  decorate  your  navel  and  stomach,  his  pleasure  intensified  by  seeing  it  on  you.</p><p>Usually  he  enjoyed  coming  inside  of  you.  But  this  was  good  too.  Seeing  you  covered  with  his  seed  scratched  that  itch.</p><p>Gasping  softly,  you  propped  yourself  up  on  your  elbows  to  peer  down.  From  that  position  you  were  able  to  see  he  was  still  hard.  You  watched  him  line  back  up  and  slide  in,  hissing  out  as  he  sank  back  in  but  deeper  this  time.  Spreading  open  your  legs  and  wrapping  them  around  his  waist,  allowing  him  to  bottom  out.</p><p>“Oh  God…”  came  from  one  of  you,  maybe  both  of  you,  you  couldn’t  even  be  sure.</p><p>Steve  stayed  still  within  you  and  watched  you  dab  at  the  warm  fluid  with  your  finger,  spreading  it  around.  </p><p>“Who  does  that  belong  to?”</p><p>Your  gaze  went  up.</p><p>He  popped  his  hips  making  your  mouth  open,  gasp  deeply.  And  there  he  was…right  against  your  cervix.</p><p>Your  voice  was  unsure,  “You?”</p><p>Steve  shook  his  head.</p><p>Slowly  you  licked  your  lips.  </p><p>Steve  hiked  your  hips  higher.  “Omega?”</p><p>“Me?”</p><p>Really,  there  was  no  other  possible  option,  there  was  no  one  else  in  the  apartment.</p><p>And  then  he  was  moving  again,  moving  so  he  rubbed  right  up  against  you  with  every  flex  of  his  hips.  Fingers  sank  into  your  ass,  tilting  you  up  against  him  just  right  and  then  he  spoke,  hints  of  an  accent  peppered  each  word.  “An’  this  dick?”</p><p>To  which  you  already  knew  the  answer  to  that  particular  question.</p><p>“Me…”</p><p>Intentionally  he  hit  you  just  right,  sliding  over  your  g-spot  and  rubbing  against  your  clit.</p><p>Oh  yes,  he  was  most  definitely  yours,  “…mine.”</p><p>“Who’s  this  knot  belong  to?”</p><p>At  first  you  couldn’t  answer,  he  hit  your  cervix  again  and  made  you  cry  out.  And  then  you  couldn’t  answer  cause  he  took  your  hand  and  placed  it  down  where  you  two  were  joined,  where  you  could  feel  him  slid  in  and  out  of  you,  slippery,  hot  and  solid.  His  blue  eyes  bore  into  yours  and  you  could  not  bring  yourself  to  look  anywhere  else.  </p><p>“My  knot  is  yours  Omega.  My  body  is  yours.  It’s  all  yours.”</p><p>“It’s  mine…”  you  sounded  more  sure,  more  positive.  “You’re  mine.”</p><p>“I’m  yours,”  Steve  swore.</p><p>Just  as  you  were  his.  He  had  no  hesitation,  no  need  to  worry  about  it  being  a  question  in  your  mind.  He  didn’t  have  a  single  doubt.  You  were  his  since  that  night  he  took  you  out  on  his  motorcycle  for  a  ride.  It  was  within  his  nature  to  feel  that  ownership  over  you.</p><p>Slowly,  with  care  he  drew  out  of  you,  right  into  your  hand  until  you  held  him.  Impossibly  hard,  angrily  swollen,  slippery  with  your  arousal  and  oozing  his  own  from  his  tip.  Tenderly  you  traced  your  thumb  over  the  veins  along  his  length.  Your  hand  looked  so  small  against  his  erection.  Even  when  you  wrapped  your  fingers  around  him  tightly,  pumping  your  mate,  you  couldn’t  help  but  notice  just  how  much  more  of  him  there  was  compared  to  you.  </p><p>Reverently,  you  ran  your  thumb  along  his  tip,  collecting  the  white  dewy  drops  that  collected.  “This  is  mine.”</p><p>“All  of  it  is  yours.”</p><p>Both  your  hands  gripped  him,  squeezed  him,  worked  him  over  and  over,  taking  advantage  of  his  sensitivity  from  his  rut.  Secure  in  the  knowledge  that  you  could  bring  him  to  climax  in  your  hands  and  he’d  still  be  hard.  When  he  came,  it  was  with  a  painful  hiss,  thighs  bucking  against  the  table,  his  forehead  resting  against  the  top  of  your  head  so  he  could  watch  you  milk  his  cock.  Taking  everything  he  gave  into  the  palm  of  your  hand.  A  few  drops  may  have  missed  and  landed  on  your  thighs,  on  the  soft  skin  of  your  wrist.  You  hardly  noticed.  You  were  lost  in  a  sea  of  his  hormones  and  your  desperate  needs,  needs  that  would  not  stop  bubbling  up  to  the  surface.  </p><p>Knowing  on  a  deeper  level  what  you  needed  from  him,  you  rubbed  his  cum  back  over  his  cock.  His  member  showed  no  signs  of  softening  or  being  satisfied  just  yet.  “Inside  of  me.”  You  spoke  softly  to  him,  coating  him  with  his  own  excretions,  smearing  it  up  and  down  him,  massaging  him,  drawing  painful  grunts  from  him.  “Back  inside  me.  I  want  you  back  inside  me.  I  want  your  knot.  Take  me  to  our  nest  and  knot  me.”</p><p>Like  you  would  ever  need  to  say  those  words  to  him  twice.</p><p>Steve  scooped  you  right  up.  With  seemingly  minimal  effort,  he  carried  you  through  the  living  quarters,  into  the  bedroom,  with  your  legs  still  around  his  waist,  your  sticky  hands  clinging  to  his  powerful  shoulders.  </p><p>As  your  fingers  sank  into  those  shoulders,  really  dug  into  his  firm  skin,  felt  muscles  that  moved  beneath  the  surface  with  every  step,  you  couldn’t  help  the  internal  chanting  that  seemed  to  go  on  in  your  subconscious.  </p><p>Mine.  Mine.  Mine.  Mine.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>You  were  stuck  on  his  knot.</p><p>There  seemed  to  be  some  debate  between  the  two  of  you  how  many  times  he’d  knotted  you  that  night.</p><p>You  could  have  sworn  it  was  three  times.  You  would  have  sworn  up  and  down  in  a  court  of  law,  right  hand  held  high,  that  it  was  thrice.</p><p>Steve  was  adamant  it  had  only  been  twice.</p><p>Steve  was  certain  he  would  have  remembered  it  happening  a  third  time.</p><p>Needless  to  say,  he  had  to  do  it  again.  Solely  for  research  purposes  mind  you.  Just  to  be  sure  you  had  a  strong  understanding  of  exactly  how  it  felt  to  be  knotted.  You  know,  just  in  case  you  were  confused  about  anything.  Being  the  humanitarian  that  he  was  and  the  second  you  regained  feeling  in  your  body,  you  had  quite  the  mouthful  to  give  him  about  knowing  the  difference  between  a  thorough  knotting  and  a  thorough  dicking.</p><p>It  was  still  kinda  light  in  the  bedroom.  Evening  you’d  call  it.</p><p>Not  that  you  cared  from  where  you  were  boneless,  collapsed  on  top  of  him,  ear  pressed  against  his  chest  where  you  could  hear  the  strong  steady  beating  of  his  heart.  Skin  all  sticky  against  his  nearly  feverish  flesh,  very  nearly  almost  uncomfortably  hot  from  his  rut.</p><p>“Clint’s  room  is  right  next  to  mine…”  Steve  quietly  spoke  in  the  stillness  of  the  room.</p><p>Fingers  making  slow  lazy  circles  over  the  round  scars  on  your  back,  long  lines  up  and  down  your  spine,  little  rubs  in  your  shoulders  where  you  carried  your  stress.  When  you  did  it  to  him  it  felt  so  good.  Judging  from  the  way  your  body  reacted,  clearly  you  were  in  agreement.</p><p>“He  doesn’t  even  use  half  the  storage  there…I  could  have  all  of  Banner’s  stuff  packed  up  and  shoved  in  Clint’s  room.  Then  you  could  have  more  space  here  for  more  of  your  own  things.  I  could  move  some  of  my  stuff  up  here  too.”</p><p>A  little  smile  began  on  your  lips.</p><p>Yet,  you  didn’t  move  much  more  than  that.  You  remained  plastered  to  the  front  of  him.  Your  body  finally  having  stopped  it’s  spasming.  His  knot  hadn’t  budged  and  you  had  another  fifteen  minutes  solid,  before  it  would  soften  enough  for  you  to  wiggle  off.</p><p>You  knew  he  lived  in  the  compound  full  time  and  you  had  little  to  no  desire  to  move  downstairs,  so  you  were  relieved  with  the  turn  his  spoken  thoughts  had  taken.</p><p>“You  have  stuff?”  Somehow  Steve  didn’t  strike  you  as  a  stuff  having  kind  of  guy.  “What  kind  of  things  does  Captain  America  have?”</p><p>“I  have  a  little  shirt  stealing,  shit  talking  Omega.”</p><p>And  to  that  you  lifted  your  head.  Hair  both  spilling  forward  in  a  curtain,  as  well  as  sticking  to  your  damp  neck  and  face.  A  shit  eating  grin  let  you  know  he  was  baiting  you,  finally  getting  rewarded  with  all  of  your  attention.  Even  if  your  attention  was  slightly  miffed  as  his  tone.</p><p>Fingers  on  his  other  hand  gently  pushed  your  tousled  hair  aside.  Had  he  stopped  stroking  your  back  so  gloriously,  you  would  have  been  more  than  miffed.</p><p>“What’s  your  name?”</p><p>Miffed  went  to  confused.</p><p>Steve  elaborated,  “You  said  you  wanted  your  name  back.  Your  old  surname?”</p><p>Your  allegedly  shit  talking  mouth  opened  to  give  him  a  piece  of  your  mind,  and  then  you  paused,  quickly  shutting  your  mouth.</p><p>This  got  Steve’s  attention,  “Tell  me.”</p><p>You  didn’t  want  to  tell  him.</p><p>“Oh  come  on  Omega.  You  can’t  make  that  face  and  then  not  give  me  something.  Don’t  make  me  use  my  Voice.  What  is  it?  Tell  me.  Just  tell  me  it  isn’t  Stark.  Why’re  you  making  that  face?  You’re  not  from  New  Jersey,  are  you?”</p><p>Now  you  weren’t  sure  what  was  so  bad  about  New  Jersey,  but  you  were  glad  to  have  something  good  to  tell  him  as  you  plopped  your  head  back  down.  Cheek  against  his  solid  chest  so  you  could  hear  his  heart  again.  “No!  I’m  from  Boston.”</p><p>A  noise  came  from  him  that  rumbled  through  his  chest.  “Boston?  Please  don’t  tell  me  you’re  a  Red  Sox  fan.”</p><p>Because  of  course  he  would  bring  up  baseball.</p><p>Once  more,  you  lifted  your  head  to  give  him  the  stink  eye.  You  brought  a  hand  up,  so  you  could  hold  a  finger  up,  as  he  again  began  to  play  with  your  hair.  “Ok,  first  of  all,  I’m  a  hockey  fan.  Don’t  bore  me  with  baseball.”</p><p>You  thought  he  was  going  to  laugh  for  a  moment.</p><p>An  additional  finger  went  up,  “Second  of  all…I  don’t  need  a  New  Yorker  giving  me  lip.”</p><p>Steve  humored  you  with  that  smirk  of  his,  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  you  couldn’t  go  anywhere,  anytime  soon.  For  the  moment  his  rut  was  satisfied.  He  urges  quieted.  His  body  complete  from  the  weight  of  you  on  him,  from  the  multiple  orgasms  he’d  had,  from  his  knot  swollen  within  you.  It  was  one  of  the  greatest  feelings  of  contentment  and  fulfilment.  Sure  his  skin  still  blazed  from  his  elevated  temperature  and  he  was  ready  for  a  few  thousand  calories  worth  of  food,  but  he  was  satisfied  for  that  moment.</p><p>“Ok…ok,  so  give  it  up.  Tell  me  your  maiden  name  and  I’ll  order  Chinese  and  clean  up  that  mess  you  made  in  the  kitchen.”</p><p>If  he  thought  you  were  shit  talking  before…</p><p>…although  Chinese  food  sounded  really  good  and  his  phone  was  closest.  Plus  you’d  totally  forgotten  about  that  mess  you  made  with  the  bottle  of  sauce.</p><p>Eventually  he’d  find  out  anyway.</p><p>“Rogers.”</p><p>At  first,  Steve  thought  you  were  being  sassy.  Up  until  he  saw  your  face.  When  he  saw  your  face,  he  did  laugh.  It  was  a  soft  good-natured  laugh  but  it  made  you  stick  your  tongue  out  at  him.</p><p>“We  definitely  have  to  get  you  divorced  so  you  can  get  your  name  back.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony  was  not  at  all  surprised  to  see  Steve  stroll  into  the  morning  briefing  two  days  later.  Showered,  recharged,  a  pep  in  his  step  and  in  his  tactical  suit  from  Sokovia,  letting  Stark  know  that  he  planned  to  spend  most  his  day  training.  </p>
<p>It  hadn’t  escaped  his  notice  that  Natasha  had  on  her  own  tactical  suit.</p>
<p>None  of  the  others  had  arrived  yet.</p>
<p>Steve  greeted  both  of  them  when  he  strolled  in,  Natasha  greeted  him  as  per  her  usual  and  Tony  remained  seated,  feet  up  on  the  conference  table,  one  hand  in  a  new  handpiece  for  his  suit  with  a  screwdriver  in  his  other.  There  were  a  few  kinks  he  needed  to  work  out  still.  </p>
<p>Having  woken  up  an  hour  before  he  was  supposed  to,  to  find  his  bed  empty  and  Pepper  in  the  kitchen,  dizzy  again,  sipping  ginger  water  and  eating  crackers.  Tony  was  not  too  in  the  mood  to  greet  Steve  politely  just  yet.</p>
<p>“Grab  me  a  water  Cap?”</p>
<p>Tony  didn’t  move,  or  look  up  from  where  he  screwed  shut  one  last  panel  on  his  latest  upgrade.</p>
<p>“Sure  Tony,”  Steve  grabbed  a  bottle  of  water  from  by  the  coffee  maker  on  his  way  to  the  table.</p>
<p>Something  had  to  give.</p>
<p>Tony  could  not  go  on  with  Pepper’s  dizziness.  </p>
<p>That  morning  Pepper  told  him  not  to  worry.  Pepper  told  him  that  it  was  probably  something  going  around  and  her  little  partner  in  crime  was  dizzy  too.</p>
<p>It  had  to  have  been  Steve.</p>
<p>There  was  no  other  explanation.  </p>
<p>Pepper  wasn’t  dizzy  until  after  his  rut.  During  the  course  of  Tony’s  investigation,  he’d  determined  that  Steve’s  fuckery  had  begun  then,  Pepper  was  getting  dizzier  and  now  he  found  out  both  the  Omega’s  in  his  life  were  experiencing  it.</p>
<p>Clearly  Steve  was  the  cause.</p>
<p>And  now  he’d  found  out  about  Steve  talking  you  into  being  his  rut  partner.  He’d  also  found  out  a  slew  of  other  juicy  bits  of  office  gossip.  The  Avenger’s  Compound  was  like  Melrose  Place  with  superheroes.</p>
<p>When  Steve  came  around  the  chair  that  held  Tony,  he  paused,  “Really  Tony?  You  have  a  bottle  of  water.”</p>
<p>Natasha  glanced  back  at  both  men  from  where  she  stood  up  at  the  dry  erase  board,  before  she  looked  back  to  the  updates  on  their  hunt  for  Crossbones  that  happened  in  the  past  twenty-four  hours.  </p>
<p>It’d  been  quite  the  busy  twenty-four  hours.</p>
<p>All  morning  he’d  been  stewing,  his  Alpha  irritated,  simmering,  just  waiting  with  the  knowledge  that  he’d  see  Steve  at  some  point  that  day.  Tony  couldn’t  bring  himself  to  look  at  his  teammate.  He  would  have  said  something  he  couldn’t  take  back.  As  it  was,  he  was  barely  keeping  it  together.  </p>
<p>“Yes  indeedy…”  Tony  tapped  on  the  panel  with  the  screwdriver  to  be  sure  it  was  secure.  “I  just  wanted  to  see  if  you  were  able  to  listen,  comprehend  and  apply  that  to  a  basic  request.  I’d  assumed  you  were  able  to,  but  wanted  to  be  sure  I  wasn’t  expecting  too  much  from  you.”</p>
<p>Natasha  pressed  so  hard  on  the  marker  the  felt  tip  went  into  the  plastic  pen.  </p>
<p>Steve’s  notepad  and  pen  were  tossed  on  the  table,  along  with  said  bottle  of  water.  “What  is  that  supposed  to  mean?”</p>
<p>And  he  was  done.</p>
<p>Tony  bounced  up  to  his  feet.  Not  quite  a  tall  as  Steve.  Nowhere  near  as  big  as  Steve.  Not  that  it  mattered  in  the  least  bit.  His  eyes  blazed  in  ill-contained  fury.  “What  did  I  tell  you?  Didn’t  I  tell  you  no?  Didn’t  I  tell  you  to  keep  your  hands  to  yourself?”</p>
<p>Natasha’s  husky  voice  drifted  across  the  room,  “Tony…”</p>
<p>Tony  was  busy.</p>
<p>Ignoring  Romanov,  he  stepped  closer  to  Steve,  chest  to  chest  really.  “Of  all  the  Omega’s  in  this  entire  building  Rogers!  Her?  It  had  to  be  her!  It  couldn’t  be  that  cute  little  Omega  down  in  the  café?”  </p>
<p>Not  about  to  take  that,  Steve  began  to  argue.</p>
<p>Being  an  expert  arguer,  Tony  grew  louder,  firmer,  his  scent  growing  thicker  with  each  word.  “You’re  not  just  messing  around  with  Pepper’s  friend,  they’ve  known  each  other  since  they  were  teenagers.  They’re  practically  sisters!  Which  means  its  Pepper’s  business  and  that  makes  it  my  business,  and  I  don’t  want  you  in  my  business!”</p>
<p>Each  word  was  like  an  insult.  A  defamation  to  his  character,  one  more  person  who  was  telling  him  he  wasn’t  good  enough,  wasn’t  strong  enough,  wouldn’t  cut  it.</p>
<p>Steve  could  not,  would  not,  even.</p>
<p>He  stepped  forward,  pushing  against  Tony  who  absolutely  refused  to  move.  “I’m  not  messing  around  Stark.  I  have  nothing  but  respect  for  her  and  Pepper…”</p>
<p>“You  got  a  funny  way  of  showing  it!  You  haven’t  been  able  to  keep  your  hands  off  her  since  you  met!  I  told  you  she’s  vulnerable  and  you  just  kept  right  at  it!  Now  Pepper’s  being  affected  by  you.  I’m  telling  you  right  now  Cap,  back  off.”</p>
<p>Distantly,  like  a  fly  buzzing  around,  Tony  thought  he  heard  Natasha.</p>
<p>Steve  had  totally  forgotten  about  her  as  he  absorbed  Tony’s  last  words.</p>
<p>And  to  think  of  how  great  his  morning  had  started  off.</p>
<p>“No…”</p>
<p>Growing  even  more  enraged,  the  brunet  clapped  back,  “Don’t  test  me  on  this!  I’ll  have  both  of  them  go  back  to  the  penthouse  in  the  city  today!”</p>
<p>Never  once  had  Steve  ever  really  considered  himself  a  violent  person.  Oh  sure,  he  was  very  capable  of  violence.  He  was  very  capable  of  a  lot  of  different  things.  But  never  had  he  ever  had  the  urge  to  actually  strangle  someone.  In  the  end,  he  wound  up  shoving  Tony  back,  sending  him  two,  no  three  steps  backwards,  in  a  desperate  attempt  to  get  the  man  away  from  him.</p>
<p>Thank  goodness  this  hadn’t  happened  during  his  rut.</p>
<p>“Go  to  hell!  I’ve  already  marked  her,  try  and  take  her  out  of  this  building.  I  dare  you!”</p>
<p>How  it  happened,  Tony  couldn’t  be  sure.  </p>
<p>One  second  he  was  ready  to  put  Steve  through  a  wall  and  the  next  thing  he  knew,  boom,  he  raised  his  hand  and  with  a  blast  from  the  new  blaster  glove  he’d  been  tinkering  with,  nailed  Steve  square  in  the  chest,  sending  his  teammate  back  into  the  wall.</p>
<p>Natasha  could  not  believe  it.</p>
<p>The  two  of  them  went  from  hot  to  volcanic  before  she  could  get  around  the  conference  table.  All  she  could  do  was  be  grateful  that  Steve  had  worn  a  blast  proof  suit.  He  sailed  almost  majestically  into  the  office  wall,  which  crumbled  beneath  him  in  a  mess  of  drywall.</p>
<p>“Tony!  Tony  stop  that  right  now!”  Not  because  she  was  particularly  worried  about  Steve.  Steve  would  be  fine.  For  crying  out  loud,  she’d  seen  him  heal  from  a  broken  bone  in  a  day.  If  Steve  hurt  Tony  however,  that  was  a  different  story.  Which  was  why  Nat  ran  around  the  table  towards  the  other  leader  of  their  team.</p>
<p>Another  blast  came  from  the  palm  of  the  maroon  glove.</p>
<p>A  hole  the  size  of  a  Saint  Benard  exploded  in  the  tile  floor.</p>
<p>Steve  had  dodged  out  of  the  way,  already  having  anticipated  and  adapted  to  that,  brain  working  like  a  computer.  Tony’s  third  shot  went  wide,  winging  his  teammate  in  the  shoulder  and  totally  taking  out  half  the  conference  table,  which  gave  out  and  collapsed  on  the  floor,  several  chairs  went  flying  in  the  room.</p>
<p>By  the  time  Steve  tackled  Tony,  Natasha  was  shouting  at  them  both,  some  of  which  was  even  in  English.</p>
<p>Tony  raised  his  gloved  hand.</p>
<p>Steve’s  elbow  hit  Tony.</p>
<p>Natasha  hit  Steve  square  in  the  back  with  a  chair,  breaking  the  chair  and  sending  her  friend  sprawling  forward.  </p>
<p>A  flurry  of  Russian  profanities  oozed  from  her  lush  mouth.</p>
<p>Tony  raised  his  glove  at  Steve.</p>
<p>Natasha  winged  him  right  upside  the  head  with  a  hunk  of  the  aforementioned  broken  chair,  sending  the  billionaire  playboy  back  a  few  feet,  making  him  shake  his  head  to  try  and  clear  it.</p>
<p>Steve  caught  himself  on  the  table.  Pain  radiated  out  from  his  back.  However,  it  was  bearable.  He  was  fine.  He  could  walk  this  off  in  his  sleep  and  when  he  turned,  he  was  greeted  to  the  sight  of  mossy  eyes  standing  between  him  and  Tony,  who  was  bleeding  from  the  corner  of  his  mouth.  </p>
<p>And  then  Steve  just  made  it  worse.  “I  love  her  Tony.”</p>
<p>Any  hopes  that  Natasha  had  for  the  fight  being  over  were  gone.  Poof.  There  were  no  more  hopes.</p>
<p>He  watched  Tony’s  gaze  widen  in  horror,  then  melt  into  fury.  He  watched  his  friend  put  fingers  against  his  temples  at  what  had  to  be  an  oncoming  headache.</p>
<p>“I’m  not  going  to  hurt  her  Tony.”</p>
<p>Fire  burned  through  Tony.  He  surged  forward  into  Natasha’s  surprisingly  strong  arms.  “She  and  Pepper  are  practically  inseparable.  Don’t  you  get  that!  Both  of  them  were  nearly  destroyed  after  what  happened…Pepper  wasn’t  herself  for  months!  I  had  to  watch  that  and  couldn’t  stop  it,  I  couldn’t  make  it  better!  There  was  nothing  that  could  fix  it.  Pepper  is  mine  to  protect  and  love  and  take  care  of  and  by  extension,  so  is  the  little  one.  They’re  my  family.  So  you’re  going  to  have  to  forgive  me  if  I  don’t  just  hand  her  over  on  a  silver  platter.”</p>
<p>Something  sort  of  settled  in  Steve,  an  understanding.</p>
<p>He  couldn’t  begrudge  Tony  for  the  man’s  ferocity.  If  their  roles  had  been  reversed,  he  would  have  been  just  as  protective  of  his  Bondmate  and  someone  his  Bondmate  was  so  close  to,  he  would  have  done  whatever  it  took  to  protect  both  women.  Yet  he  couldn’t  stop  the  roll  of  spewing  jealousy  that  turned  over  in  his  gut.  </p>
<p>Steve  wanted  a  family.  He  wanted  what  Tony  had  and  it  was  so  close,  it  was  within  his  grasp.</p>
<p>Maybe  his  words  came  out  a  bit  more  heated  than  he’d  anticipated.  “Good!  I  wouldn’t  expect  you  to!  I’m  not  trying  to  just  steal  my  Omega  away  and  lock  her  up  for  myself!  She  needs  Pepper  and  she  needs  you  as  a  friend.  I’m  not  trying  to  be  her  friend  Stark!  I’m  not  missing  my  chance.  I  want  to  be  her  Mate,  her  partner,  her  reason  for  getting  up  in  the  morning.  I  will  be  the  final  person  who  has  earned  the  honor  of  being  her  Bondmate.”</p>
<p>Not  that  any  of  that  made  Tony  fold,  or  feel  any  better.</p>
<p>In  fact,  had  Natasha  not  taken  quite  the  firm  hold  on  his  hand,  he  may  have  even  given  the  blonde  Avenger  another  blast  for  posterity.  </p>
<p>Feeling  the  tightness  in  his  arm,  Natasha  inquired,  “Did  you  hear  him  Stark?”</p>
<p>Indeed  he  heard,  his  head  was  spinning  with  all  he’d  heard.</p>
<p>“It’s  like  I’m  being  punished  for  something…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tony  still  wasn’t  happy.</p>
<p>Hours  had  passed  since  the  little  kerfluffel  in  the  conference  room  that  morning  and  not  only  had  the  whole  exchange  repeatedly  gone  through  his  head,  over  and  over,  further  just  irritating  him,  but  his  newest  piece  of  tech  was  now  stuck  on  his  hand.  Which  seemed  to  just  sum  up  how  his  day  was  going. </p>
<p>Which  was  how  he  wound  up  wandering,  with  his  trusty  screwdriver,  pacing  around  the  compound,  stretching  his  legs,  letting  his  juices  flow,  clearing  his  head  as  walking  always  did  while  attempting  to  get  the  newest  update  off  his  hand.</p>
<p>He  didn’t  remember  putting  a  safety  release  on  the  metal  blasting  glove.</p>
<p>But  he  was  sure  he  would  have,  it  would  have  been  highly  irresponsible  of  him  not  to  add  such  a  feature.  And  was  like,  forty  percent  positive  that  he  wouldn’t  have  made  that  mistake  again.</p>
<p>Upon  his  wanderings,  he  moseyed  aimlessly  towards  the  front  where  big  desks  stood  overlooking  a  stunning  view  of  the  river  and  parking  lot.  Where  not  only  were  people  coming  and  going,  Steve  could  be  seen  signing  for  something  at  one  of  those  three  desks.</p>
<p>How  could  it  not  get  Tony’s  attention?</p>
<p>Clenching  the  hand  encased  in  iron  for  the  moment,  he  strolled  over  and  leaned  back  against  the  desk  so  he  could  have  a  view  of  the  doors,  as  well  as  see  his  friend  face  to  face.  Whenever  his  friend  glanced  up  from  signing  for  what  appeared  to  be  paperwork.  </p>
<p>Without  a  word,  Steve  looked  up  at  him  then  back  to  the  delivery  confirmation  form.</p>
<p>Never  one  to  shy  away,  or  be  too  concerned  with  little  things  like  privacy,  Tony  spoke,  not  caring  about  the  two  receptionists  at  his  back.</p>
<p>“Ok…so  I’m  still  not  happy  about  this  and  I’m  not  giving  you  my  blessing.  But  I’ll  allow  it.”</p>
<p>Such  words  earned  him  a  flash  of  those  blue  eyes.</p>
<p>It  was  the  best  he  could  do.</p>
<p>Something  else  had  been  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue,  but  when  Steve  didn’t  seem  to  have  noticed  either  of  the  young,  pretty,  exceptionally  delicious  smelling  Omega’s  mere  inches  away,  Tony  decided  to  cut  Cap  some  slack.  Tony  himself  had  looked  upon  arrival.</p>
<p>It  had  not  escaped  his  notice  that  Tony  had  a  black  eye.  Tony  also  had  a  purple  bruise  blooming  up  the  side  of  his  face.  Which  was  his  and  which  was  Natasha’s  seemed  to  be  a  bit  of  a  blur.  </p>
<p>Accelerated  healing  aside,  Steve  still  felt  every  blast  he’d  taken  from  Tony.  His  suit  had  helped  take  the  burn  thankfully.  Beneath  his  suit,  he  knew  he  was  bruised  down  through  his  muscle.  His  shoulder  was  killing  him  and  his  chest  felt  like  a  piano  had  landed  square  in  the  center  of  it.  By  the  end  of  the  day  he’d  be  mostly  healed.  Until  then,  he  wasn’t  lifting  anything  without  feeling  what  was  definitely  a  few  cracked  ribs.</p>
<p>A  deep  sigh  came,  “If  it  had  to  be  anyone…I’m  not  entirely  hating  the  idea  that  it’s  you.  At  least  I  don’t  have  to  worry  about  you  beaming  her  and  Pep  away  on  a  rainbow  bridge  for  an  indeterminable  amount  of  time.”  When  Steve  gave  Tony  a  little  smirk,  the  goateed  man  went  on.  “I  mean,  don’t  get  me  wrong.  I’m  still  going  to  cause  problems  for  you  every  step  of  the  way.  I  just  won’t  sabotage  and  that’s  the  best  I  can  do  for  now  Capsicle.”</p>
<p>Even  if  he’d  been  fresh  from  the  ice,  Steve  would  have  known  that  was  the  best  he  would  get  from  Tony.  It  almost  was  touching.</p>
<p>“Thank  you,  Tony.”</p>
<p>With  a  sniff,  he  went  back  to  fussing  with  his  metal  glove.</p>
<p>“I’ll  go  speak  with  Pepper  sometime  today  to  try  and  ease  her  mind,”  Steve  countered,  putting  the  final  touches  on  the  form,  date  and  initials.  Never  before  had  he  needed  to  fill  out  this  much  paperwork  for  FedEx.  But  the  two  Omega’s  behind  the  desk  swore  that  it  was  a  new  policy.  And  they  seemed  nice  enough.</p>
<p>“What?  Why?”</p>
<p>Why?</p>
<p>Steve  cared  about  Pepper,  he  cared  about  her  in  a  totally  platonic  sort  of  way.  It  gave  him  an  understanding  of  Tony’s  compassion  for  you  and  that  solid  need  to  protect  you.  If  Pepper  was  upset  and  he  could  do  something,  he’d  go  right  up  to  her  office  to  do  his  best.  Turning  to  look  at  Tony,  Steve  shrugged.  “I  don’t  want  to  upset  Pepper.  If  there’s  something  I  can  do  to  make  her  feel  more  comfortable,  I’ll  do  it.”</p>
<p>Obviously  that  annoyed  Tony.</p>
<p>Steve  knew  he  could  rub  the  man  the  wrong  way  and  Tony  had  the  ability  to  do  so  in  return.  Still  he  was  somewhat  surprised  at  the  antagonism  in  Tony’s  voice.  The  man  didn’t  even  look  up  from  that  glove  he  was  tinkering  with,  “Unless  you’re  a  miracle  worker  and  can  cure  a  case  of  joint  dizziness…”</p>
<p>At  first,  Steve  was  genuinely  flummoxed.</p>
<p>He  then  rolled  his  eyes  and  tapped  the  FedEx  packet  on  the  desk.  “Do  you  know  anything  about  Omegas?”</p>
<p>This  led  to  Tony’s  immediate  undivided  attention.  His  mouth  opened.</p>
<p>Steve  knew  that  look  and  raised  a  hand.  “Spare  me  your  sexual  history.  I  meant  platonically.  Do  you  have  any  Omega  friends  that  are  just  friends?”</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>Tony  gave  it  some  good  thought  too.</p>
<p>Well  aware  that  they  had  a  captive  audience,  Steve  trudged  on,  grabbing  Tony’s  arm  and  tugging  him  along  with  him  for  some  degree  of  privacy.  </p>
<p>If  they  were  moving  it’d  be  harder  for  people  to  eavesdrop.  “Stark,  really,  sometimes  you  just  never  fail  to  impress.”</p>
<p>Steve  had  tugged  Tony  along  after  him,  further  into  the  building,  when  he  finally  came  to  a  stop.  “Ok,  look,  before  I  was  this…”  gesturing  at  himself,  he  then  lowered  his  hand  about  a  foot,  “…I  was  this  and  I  worked  as  a  cartoonist  in  a  newspaper  in  an  office  full  of  Omega’s.  Do  you  know  what  happens  when  you  get  two  or  more  Omega’s  together  for  an  extended  amount  of  time?”</p>
<p>Judging  from  the  way  those  brown  eyes  narrowed  at  him,  Steve  was  guessing  no.</p>
<p>“Their  cycles  sort  of…”  Steve  then  pushed  his  fingers  together.</p>
<p>Two  dark  eyebrows  rose.</p>
<p>“They  sync  up  Tony.”</p>
<p>Those  dark  eyebrows  remained  up,  those  darker  eyes  remained  narrowed,  “That’s  an  old  myth.”</p>
<p>Another  urge  to  hit  the  man  was  slowly  making  itself  known.  </p>
<p>So,  with  a  sigh,  Steve  took  another  approach,  “Look,  I  take  some  responsibility.  I’m  sure  I’ve  been  making  her  biology  change.  It’s  only  natural  that  her  Omega  would  interact  chemically  with  my  Alpha.  But  I  didn’t  make  the  two  of  them  dizzy.  I  remember  that  happening  back  in  the  office.  All  the  new  Omega’s  would  get  dizzy  when  they  came  to  work  in  our  office,  until  they  matched  up  with  the  others.  It  took  a  few  weeks.  Once  they  all  had  their  heats,  they  were  all  fine  afterwards.  No  more  dizziness.”</p>
<p>In  the  dictionary  would  be  Tony’s  picture  next  to  the  term  Skeptical.</p>
<p>“Give  it  another  week  or  two.  If  I  were  a  betting  man,  I’d  say  they  both  go  into  heat  within  the  same  twelve-hour  window.”</p>
<p>A  remark  about  Steve  not  being  a  betting  man  was  on  the  tip  of  Tony’s  tongue,  up  until  he  caught  a  flash  of  something,  of  someone.</p>
<p>Steve  should  have  been  suspicious.  However,  he  was  just  relieved  when  Tony  smacked  his  good  shoulder  and  then  took  off  with  a,  “I’m  holding  you  to  that  Splangles.”</p>
<p>Clearly  the  man  was  onto  a  new  bone  if  he’d  reverted  to  name  calling.</p>
<p>Since  Steve  had  a  busy  day  ahead  of  him,  he  headed  in  the  same  general  direction,  towards  the  stairwell  more  than  a  little  relieved  to  get  away  from  Tony  and  not  having  to  worry  about  Pepper  being  distressed  because  of  him.  He  was  still  thinking  up  a  way  to  go  speak  to  her  now  and  bring  up  this  most  delicate  issue,  or  if  he  should  just  bring  it  up  to  you,  so  you  could  disseminate  the  information  accordingly.</p>
<p>He  walked  past  Tony  and  a  man  he  didn’t  recognize.</p>
<p>“What  are  you  doing  here?  I  thought  I  made  it  clear  to  you  that  you  aren’t  welcome  here  or  wanted  here!”</p>
<p>This  made  Steve  roll  his  eyes.  Tony  was  just  on  a  roll  today.  He  just  hoped  Tony  didn’t  blast  the  well-dressed  man  too.</p>
<p>Not  everyone  could  withstand  a  blast  to  the  chest.</p>
<p>Erskine’s  serum  had  given  Steve  a  many  enhanced  abilities  to  include  healing,  a  capacity  to  learn  and  retain  information,  as  well  as  kicking  up  his  senses.  All  of  which  he’d  been  using  that  day.  It  was  his  hearing  that  served  him  in  that  second,  when  he  heard  the  red  headed  man  tell  Tony  something  most  interesting.</p>
<p>“I’m  not  here  to  cause  problems.  Pepper  told  me  that  I  could  speak  with  her  if  I  signed  the  papers.  I’m  ready  to  sign.  I  just  want  to  see  her  Tony.  I  need  to  apologize,  I  have  things  I  haven’t  been  able  to  say.”</p>
<p>It  wasn’t  possible  for  Steve  to  be  any  more  rigid.</p>
<p>He  froze,  stopped  dead  in  his  tracks.</p>
<p>“Pepper  never  mentioned  that  to  me.”</p>
<p>At  that,  Steve  turned,  actually  looking  at  the  man  he’d  walked  by  without  a  second  look,  tuning  out  mostly  everything.  </p>
<p>Whatever  he  had  been  going  to  do  was  long  forgotten.  </p>
<p>The  man  that  was  arguing  with  Tony  wasn’t  what  he’d  expected.  Ok,  sure,  Steve  hadn’t  exactly  known  what  to  expect,  but  not  a  well-tailored  suit  on  a  tall  guy  with  friendly  hazel  eyes,  thick  wavy  auburn  hair  and  dimples.  The  guy  had  a  nice  smile.  He  wasn’t  a  small  guy,  somewhere  between  him  and  Tony.  </p>
<p>At  first  Steve  was  stunned.  </p>
<p>Straight  up,  hands  down,  knock  him  over  with  a  feather  stunned.  </p>
<p>He’d  honestly  had  no  idea  what  he  expected  to  see,  but  when  he  thought  about  you  being  abandoned  in  your  most  desperate  time  of  need,  the  ninety-pound  asthmatic  Alpha  buried  inside  of  him  threw  an  ever-loving  fit.  That  ninety-pound  asthmatic  would  have  fought  to  the  death  to  protect  an  Omega  that  belonged  to  him.  And  now,  today,  it  wasn’t  any  sort  of  a  question.</p>
<p>Maybe  he  expected  to  see  the  man  and  suddenly  have  a  total  understanding  of  how  it  happened,  why  it  happened,  how  an  Alpha  could  do  that  to  an  Omega.</p>
<p>All  he  really  seemed  to  notice  was  your  old  Alpha’s  smell.</p>
<p>Grass  maybe,  something  earthy  mixed  in,  maybe  rain.  </p>
<p>Steve  couldn’t  quite  narrow  it  down,  nor  did  he  care,  that  wasn’t  what  stood  out  to  him.  That  first  time  he   got  a  good  feel  for  your  smell,  it  was  all  you,  you  smelled  like  shortbread  cookies  and  lemony  tea,  that  was  what  you  smelled  like.  He’d  even  taken  to  having  hot  tea  when  he  missed  you.  After  he’d  marked  you,  you  picked  up  traces  of  his  scent,  your  scent  evolved  one  could  say.  It  picked  up  a  few  spicier  notes.  Never  once  had  you  ever  had  a  hint  of  that  earthy  scent.  Even  Pepper  had  hints  of  citrus  on  her  sweet  floral  scent.</p>
<p>It  really  hit  him  in  that  moment,  just  how  severe  the  break  in  your  old  bond  was.</p>
<p>“I  haven’t  seen  her  all  morning  and  even  if  I  had,  I  wouldn’t  tell  you  where  she  is.  So  you  have  to  make  the  decision  of  how  many  pieces  you  want  to  leave  this  building  in.”  Tony  declared,  suddenly  realizing  that  Steve  was  beside  him  and  then  in  the  next  second,  he  realized  just  what  that  meant.</p>
<p>It  made  Tony  hesitate  for  a  second.</p>
<p>It  made  Tony  look  over  at  his  teammate,  as  his  fellow  Avenger  looked  your  ex  over  like  he  was  looking  for  the  lost  Confederate  Gold.</p>
<p>“You’re  such  a  liar.  I  can  smell  her  on  you  Tony.”</p>
<p>It  was  then  that  Tony  paused  and  so  did  your  ex,  the  scientist  you  met  in  college  and  had  fallen  in  love  with  over  a  strawberry  milkshake,  who  seemed  a  little  surprised  to  recognize  Captain  America  himself  a  foot  or  so  away,  instead  of  on  TV  where  he  was  used  to  seeing  him.</p>
<p>“Oh  you  have  no  idea  how  much  it  pleases  me  to  say  this…and  hurts  me  too,  since  it’s  so  pleasing…but  I’ll  power  through.  I’m  not  the  one  you’re  smelling  her  on.”</p>
<p>A  moment  of  silence  passed  between  the  men.</p>
<p>It  was  in  that  moment,  when  the  two  Alpha’s  looked  one  another  over  that  Tony  came  to  realize  that  perhaps  this  was  not  the  best  thing  to  say.  If  Steve  decided  to  straight  up  physically  assault  this  man,  there  was  little  that  he  could  do.  </p>
<p>“No,”  Steve  told  him.</p>
<p>There  was  no  need  to  ask  for  clarification.  They  all  knew  what  he  was  talking  about  and  what  it  was  in  reference  to.  </p>
<p>“She’s  mine  now.  There  will  be  no  visits.”</p>
<p>An  argument  was  attempted  to  be  made  and  before  it  could  fall  from  the  lips  of  the  man  that  Steve  swore  he  remembered  seeing  on  the  cover  of  Time  for  his  advances  in  the  world  of  genetics,  Steve  stuck  two  fingers  into  the  collar  of  his  tactical  suit,  pulling  it  down  enough  to  expose  his  Mating  Gland  and  your  scars  over  it.</p>
<p>It  was  Tony’s  first  time  seeing  it  too.</p>
<p>Somehow,  it  felt  too  intimate,  private,  he  found  himself  looking  away.  Not  that  he  was  squeamish  about  the  human  body.  Never.  Not  Tony  Stark.  But  seeing  that  evidence  in  the  flesh  of  his  friend  led  to  the  possibility  that  you  and  Steve  were  having  a  sexual  relationship.  Along  with  the  very  real  maybe  that  you  hadn’t  spent  Steve’s  entire  rut  watching  Bewitched  and  playing  Monopoly,  as  Tony  so  desperately  imagined.</p>
<p>Steve  stepped  forward,  closer  to  the  PhD  holder  that  Time  swore  would  change  the  future.</p>
<p>When  Tony’s  hand  fell  on  his  bicep,  Steve  never  took  his  eyes  from  your  college  sweetheart.  “I’m  not  going  to  hurt  him  Stark.  Calm  down.”  </p>
<p>“I’m  still  not  signing  anything  until  I  see…”</p>
<p>Tony  took  a  moment  to  look  around  and  see  no  one  was  particularly  paying  them  any  attention.  He  had  a  distinct  feeling  that  this  was  going  nowhere  good.  He  honestly  had  no  idea  what  was  worse,  the  Steve  who’d  nearly  broke  his  jaw  earlier  that  morning,  or  this  cold  steely  Rogers,  who  had  that  look  in  his  eyes  he’d  seen  in  battle  hardened  soldiers.</p>
<p>Steve  gave  the  man  a  once  over,  clearly  finding  him  lacking.  “You  know,  when  I  grew  up,  Omega’s  would  blame  themselves  for  things  completely  outside  their  realm  of  control.  My  mother  would  always  blame  herself  when  my  father  would  get  drunk  and  turn  into  a  monster.  She  always  seemed  to  think  that  if  she  could  have  done  something  different,  it  wouldn’t  happen  again.  It’s  the  same  now.  When  you  ran  from  Crossbones  and  he  did  that  to  her,  you  know  what,  she  thinks  that  if  she  could  have  done  something  differently,  he  wouldn’t  have  hurt  her.  She  thinks  that  if  she  didn’t  fight  him,  he  wouldn’t  have  been  so  brutal.  She  thinks  that  she’s  partly  to  blame  for  what  happened  that  night.”</p>
<p>Again,  Tony  couldn’t  help  but  feel  like  he  was  intruding,  like  he  was  peering  through  a  window  at  something  that  was  private,  something  he  shouldn’t  have  been  witnessing.  He’d  never  seen  your  ex  look  like  that,  like  he  was  about  to  be  sick.  He’d  even  seen  him  in  the  hospital  after  you’d  been  rescued  and  chased  him  away  every  time.  </p>
<p>But  this,  this  was  just  something  that  Tony  didn’t  want  to  know,  he  didn’t  want  to  think  that  such  thoughts  could  even  realistically  go  through  your  head.</p>
<p>“Is  that  why  I  don’t  get  to  see  her?”</p>
<p>There  was  a  distinct  sound  of  realization  hinted  in  those  words  that  Tony’d  never  before  heard.</p>
<p>“No,”  Steve  shook  his  head.  “You  don’t  get  to  see  her,  because  we’re  down  to  two  or  three  nights  of  her  waking  up  screaming  for  help  a  week.  You  don’t  get  to  apologize  and  make  peace  so  you  can  feel  better  about  what  you  did  to  her  detriment.  That’s  something  you’ll  just  have  to  learn  how  to  live  with…now,  do  you  want  to  sign  those  papers  right  here  in  the  hall?  Or  do  you  want  a  flat  surface?  That’s  about  all  you’re  going  to  get  from  us.”</p>
<p>A  sick  feeling  swirled  around  in  Tony’s  gut.  He  almost  wished  that  Steve  would  have  just  hit  the  guy.  This  was  worse,  much  worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You  didn’t  believe  Tony  for  one  freaking  minute.</p>
<p>When  Pepper  gave  you  the  position  in  Accounting,  as  one  of  the  three  accountants  that  was  specifically  in  charge  of  the  financial  needs  and  spending  of  the  team,  you  thought  it’d  be  a  fun  job,  a  neat  job.</p>
<p>Never  once  did  you  expect  to  be  negotiating  for  llamas,  or  listening  to  half  the  vague  innuendos  or  stories  Clint  and  Tony  cooked  up.</p>
<p>Honestly,  you  had  no  idea  who  was  worse</p>
<p>“So…it  was  just  like  this  when  you  got  back  from  lunch?”</p>
<p>Pepper’s  mate  looked  at  you  with  nothing  short  of  total  sincerity  and  nodded,  “I’m  as  shocked  as  you  are…”</p>
<p>Somehow  you  doubted  it.</p>
<p>With  another  look  around,  you  took  in  the  conference  room.  </p>
<p>A  hole  the  size  of  a  stove  was  in  the  wall  that  looked  into  a  storage  closet.  Walls,  flooring  and  ceiling  all  around  it  were  singed  with  black  marks  that  looked  remarkably  like  the  scorch  marks  from  his  blasters.  There  were  three  big  tables  that  met  in  a  horseshoe  shape  normally.  You  remembered  that  from  your  initial  orientation  tour.  Only  one  of  those  tables  remained  standing.  One  was  missing  one  entire  half  while  the  other  was  split  in  half.  Somewhere  between  the  tables  and  that  wall  was  a  huge  gaping  hole  in  the  floor  too.</p>
<p>Pieces  of  tiles  and  concrete  were  littered  around  and  you  could  have  sworn  there  were  drops  of  blood  here  and  there.</p>
<p>“Is  that  blood?”  You  demanded  to  know,  pointing  at  the  brown  dried  spots  on  the  dirty  floor  with  the  rolled-up  budget  proposal  Tony  had  brought  you  not  twenty  minutes  ago.</p>
<p>You  never  should  have  left  your  office.</p>
<p>“Who  can  remember?”  He  shrugged,  then  faced  the  wall  and  lifted  both  hands,  “Now  what  I’m  thinking  is…we  take  this  wall  out.  It’s  not  load  bearing.”</p>
<p>With  utmost  care,  hanging  onto  Tony’s  shoulder,  you  stepped  around  hunks  of  flooring  and  puddles  of  water  from  various  empty  fire  extinguishers  that  were  lined  up  against  the  wall.</p>
<p>It’d  been  such  a  good  day  so  far  too.</p>
<p>“Whatever  happened  to  your  face  doesn’t  have  anything  to  do  with  whatever  happened  in  here?  Does  it?”</p>
<p>“Totally  unrelated,”  was  what  he  told  you,  never  once  looking  away  from  the  hole  in  the  wall.  “I’m  thinking  of  a  state-of-the-art  coffee  nook.  Just  let  that  settle  in.  I  have  just  the  thing  in  mind  in  my  lab  for  it.  Picture  it,  visualize  it,  I  can  practically  smell  the  espresso  already…”</p>
<p>Was  your  foot  wet?  </p>
<p>You  could  feel  dampness  around  your  toes  and  with  a  peek  down,  your  grip  on  Tony  tightening,  you  could  see,  sure  enough,  that  there  was  a  wet  spot  on  the  floor.  And  for  fucks  sake,  they  were  Chanel  pumps.</p>
<p>It’d  been  such  a  good  day  too.</p>
<p>You’d  have  no  emails  from  Clint  when  you  got  into  your  office.  All  of  your  meetings  had  been  cancelled  for  some  reason.  The  cafeteria  was  serving  taco  salad  for  lunch.  Your  divorce  attorney  had  called  to  tell  you  that  your  now  soon-to-be-ex  had  signed  the  divorce  papers.  You  had  no  voicemails  from  Clint.  Pepper  had  sent  you  a  website  link  her  personal  shopper  had  sent  her  concerning  a  new  clothing  designer.  And  now,  this,  wet  shoes  and  what  you’d  call  a  ridiculously  inflated  budget  for  a  little  coffee  nook.</p>
<p>Which  led  you  to  the  only  question  that  mattered,  “Does  Pepper  know  about  this?  I  can’t  help  but  feel  like  this  is  something  Pepper  needs  to  know  about.”  </p>
<p>Was  there  any  part  of  the  floor  that  wasn’t  wet?</p>
<p>“My  coffee  nook?  I  think  Pepper’s  a  little  busy  to  be  concerned  with  tiny  details  like  that…”</p>
<p>To  which  there  was  only  one  answer,  wet  pump  lifted  from  the  floor  as  you  gestured  at  the  big  hole  in  the  scorched  cement.  “I  meant  that!  Were  you  testing  new  equipment  in  the  building  again?”</p>
<p>Pleased  that  he  could  be  honest,  Tony  beamed,  “Absolutely  not!  I  wasn’t  testing  anything  but  since  you’re  down  here  and  I  have  you  in  a  giving  mood,  I  want  to  swing  by  R&amp;D.  You’ve  got  small  hands.  I  could  use  some  assistance  for  just  a  minute.”</p>
<p>At  that,  you  actually  looked  at  your  hands.</p>
<p>You  didn’t  think  they  were  that  small.  Maybe  compared  to  Steve’s?</p>
<p>“So  what  do  you  think?  You  like  it  here?  You  seem  to  be  settling  in  pretty  well.”</p>
<p>Where  that  came  from  was  a  bit  of  a  mystery.</p>
<p>Then  again,  Tony  tended  to  bounce  from  one  thing  to  another,  like  a  ping-pong  ball  in  an  arcade  game.  So  as  your  attention  only  kinda  left  your  hands  which  didn’t  seem  abnormally  small  in  your  opinion,  you  found  yourself  looking  up  into  his  curious  gaze.  You  half  expected  him  to  poke  you  with  something.  “What?”</p>
<p>“Just  checking  in  and  all.  You  smell  different,  you  seem  calmer  today.”</p>
<p>Smelling  different  was  no  surprise,  now  that  you  could  smell  yourself  again,  you  were  picking  up  on  those  tiny  little  changes.  </p>
<p>You’d  felt  a  little  better  than  you  had  in  a  while,  but  if  Tony  noticed,  it  must  have  been  an  obvious  change.  You  weren’t  about  to  go  crowd  surfing  at  a  concert.  But  the  thought  amused  you  instead  of  terrified  you.  That  had  to  be  some  kind  of  progress.  “It’s  been  a  good  day  today.  Granted…we’ll  see  if  you  blow  me  up  too  in  R&amp;D…”  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your  good  day  couldn’t  be  ruined.</p>
<p>Not  even  by  another  lecture  in  the  auditorium  on  Compostable / Recyclables / Waste.  </p>
<p>As  this  time,  you’d  brought  snacks.  You’d  holed  up  in  a  back  corner  with  a  travel  mug  full  of  hot  tea  and  an  entire  spread  of  snacks  to  include  crackers,  cheese  and  grapes,  all  of  which  you  hadn’t  eaten  in  ages  due  to  your  lack  of  interest  in  food.  You  couldn’t  remember  food  tasting  particularly  good  either,  not  since  before  that  night.  </p>
<p>But  now,  now  you  wanted  to  eat.</p>
<p>You  made  little  combinations  of  the  three,  two  and  just  a  grape  or  a  cracker  sometimes  as  Tony  went  on  in  a  very  threatening  tone.  Condemning  whoever  it  was  who  threw  broken  glass  in  the  trash.  Threats  had  been  made  that  he  would  have  it  finger  printed  from  behind  the  podium  down  on  at  the  center  of  the  room.</p>
<p>You  probably  should  address  that  when  the  whole  thing  was  over.</p>
<p>First  though,  first  you  were  hungry.</p>
<p>You’d  just  begun  to  layer  a  cracker  with  a  slice  of  cheese  and  a  grape,  when  you  felt  your  Alpha.  It  was  nothing  more  than  a  soft  press  against  your  temples,  an  awareness  down  on  a  lower  level  of  your  consciousness.  Nothing  too  scientific.  All  you  knew  as  you  pondered  if  you  should  go  with  a  second  grape,  was  he  was  in  the  auditorium.</p>
<p>Two  grapes  sounded  about  right.</p>
<p>Right  around  the  time  you  popped  a  red  grape  in  your  mouth,  his  voice  curled  around  you  like  a  nice  hot  oil  at  the  spa.</p>
<p>“There’s  my  little  Omega…”</p>
<p>Of  course  it  wouldn’t  take  him  long  to  find  you.  Most  everyone  was  down  towards  the  middle  and  front  of  the  room.  You’d  sat  towards  the  back,  so  your  food  wouldn’t  bother  anyone.  In  the  movie  theater  sized  room,  you’d  hoped  to  go  unnoticed.</p>
<p>And  then  you  smelled  him,  right  before  he  plopped  down  in  the  theater  seat  beside  you,  just  like  before,  almost  exactly  like  before,  now  that  you  thought  of  it.  His  scent  had  you  leaning  against  him  before  your  mind  caught  up  to  your  body,  acting  so  seditiously  on  its  own.  You  practically  preened  when  he  buried  his  face  in  the  column  of  your  neck,  his  breath  warm  against  your  skin.  </p>
<p>Steve  placed  soft  little  kisses  on  your  throat.  He  inhaled  your  scent  deeply  and  tugged  the  collar  of  your  shirt  aside.  All  so  he  could  see  his  mark  scarred  against  your  Mating  Gland.  All  the  other  little  purple  bruises,  red  marks  and  teeth  prints  hidden  beneath  the  fabric  of  your  shirt  were  just  a  further  reminder  of  to  whom  you  belonged.</p>
<p>After  his  day,  Steve  needed  to  see  it  at  the  very  least.  </p>
<p>He  would  need  far  more  to  calm  his  restlessness.  He  could  wait  though.  He  could  delay  gratification  when  he  knew  just  how  sweet  it  was,  how  perfect  you  would  feel.</p>
<p>Steve  barely  noticed  Natasha  mosey  on  in.</p>
<p>Steve  did  notice  when  her  scent  curled  around  the  seat  in  front  of  you  both,  heavy,  thick,  as  if  she’d  been  training,  which  had  to  have  been  where  she  was  most  the  afternoon.  He  hadn’t  seen  her,  but  he’d  been  somewhat  distracted  with  Vision  and  Sam.</p>
<p>Natasha  reached  out  to  steal  some  of  your  snacks.  </p>
<p>She  gave  Steve  a  scolding  look  and  thanked  you,  before  curled  back  into  her  seat  to  ignore  Tony  and  relax.  A  smirk  on  her  face  from  the  dirty  look  Steve  had  on  his,  clearly  her  being  at  your  knees  threw  a  monkey-wrench  in  whatever  he  may  have  wanted  to  do.</p>
<p>Steve  wasn’t  shy.  Steve  also  was  not  an  exhibitionist.</p>
<p>Steve  could  get  over  it,  it’d  been  a  rough  day  at  work  all  around  and  Natasha  wanted  to  be  around  her  teammates,  her  family.</p>
<p>So  there  was  a  little  bit  more  red  in  her  ledger.</p>
<p>She  could  live  with  it,  it  was  for  a  good  cause.  No  one  was  perfect.  People  slipped  up  now  and  then,  she’d  chalk  it  up  to  that.  The  fact  she  didn’t  feel  bad  about  what  she  did  to  your  ex,  it  made  her  feel  that  there  wasn’t  too  much  red  added  to  her  infamous  ledger.</p>
<p>Things  had  been  touch  and  go  after  Tony  created  Ultron.</p>
<p>She’d  been  terrified  she’d  lose  everyone,  she  almost  did  in  Sokovia.</p>
<p>This  was  her  family.  This  team  was  her  life.</p>
<p>Tony  and  Steve  were  like  her  brothers,  they  were  her  other  halves,  her  friends  and  confidants,  they  were  some  of  the  few  people  who  didn’t  look  at  her  like  she  was  a  monster.  Watching  the  two  Alphas  fight  had  terrified  her,  the  possibility  of  the  team  fracturing  was  not  something  she  could  ever  consider.</p>
<p>It  hadn’t  been  hard  to  follow  him  from  the  compound  after  he  signed  the  divorce  papers.  </p>
<p>Steve  and  Tony  had  been  calmer  after  that,  they  were  better  that  afternoon.</p>
<p>It  only  proved  what  she’d  done  had  been  what  was  needed,  she  told  herself.</p>
<p>When  he  was  found,  it  would  look  like  a  car  accident,  just  like  others,  just  like  she’d  learned  in  the  Red  Room.</p>
<p>No  one  was  going  to  hurt  her  family,  make  her  family  fight,  break  up  her  family.</p>
<p>Natasha  would  keep  her  team  together  no  matter  what.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two  weeks  later…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It  was  nearly  eleven  at  night  when  Steve  found  himself  on,  what  Sam  referred  to  as,  an  emergency  Wal-Mart  run.</p>
<p>You  hadn’t  called  or  texted  him.  But  he  knew,  he  just  knew,  something  just  popped  into  his  head  as  he  read  over  a  training  manual  in  his  room  downstairs,  while  brushing  his  teeth.  </p>
<p>Tomorrow  you  were  going  to  go  into  heat.  </p>
<p>Supplies  were  required.</p>
<p>Wearing  an  assortment  of  sweats,  hoodies  and  baseball  hats,  the  two  men  wandered  through  a  moderately  busy  store.  Sam  pushing  a  cart  while  Steve  tossed  in  items.  </p>
<p>Sam  hadn’t  been  planning  on  leaving  the  compound  that  evening.</p>
<p>However,  when  Steve  had  wandered  out  of  his  room  and  into  the  common  area,  Sam  had  noticed  his  friend  was  going  out.  Naturally  he  volunteered  to  tag  along.  After  a  little  bit,  Sam  figured  out  what  Steve  was  shopping  for  so  late.</p>
<p>A  container  of  laundry  detergent  pods  went  in  the  cart  in  the  brand  you  liked.</p>
<p>Several  packs  of  unscented  wipes  went  in  the  cart.</p>
<p>Multiple  different  bottles  of  body  wash  and  bubble  bath  went  in  too,  unscented  and  moisturizing.</p>
<p>Sam  grabbed  a  few  things  of  his  own,  putting  them  in  the  front  basket  of  the  cart.</p>
<p>The  two  men  laughed  and  joked  about  things  that  went  on  earlier  that  day,  spoke  about  what  the  upcoming  day  held.  Sam  didn’t  at  all  bring  up  the  items  Steve  was  putting  in  the  cart,  up  until  he  tossed  in  a  big  box  of  condoms.  </p>
<p>Sam  cocked  an  eyebrow.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Sam’s  eyebrow  remained  up.  His  lips  quirked  in  a  smirk.</p>
<p>“I  don’t  want  to  have  the  baby  talk  when  she’s  peeing  on  a  stick,”  was  what  Steve  told  him.</p>
<p>In  response,  Sam  laughed.  It  was  a  good-natured  laugh  that  let  Steve  know  he  missed  the  mark.  It  made  the  blonde  Alpha  blush  awkwardly.  </p>
<p>“Dude…it’s  her  first  heat  in  like  a  year?  Right?”</p>
<p>Steve  nodded.</p>
<p>“Grab  another  box,”  Sam  instructed.  “It  would  have  been  a  rough  one  on  her  anyway.  With  your  Super  Soldier  self,  it’s  going  to  be  even  worse.”</p>
<p>This  led  Steve  to  snag  another  box.</p>
<p>Over  the  past  week  your  scent  had  been  altering  a  bit,  it  was  adjusting  to  your  change  in  hormones  as  your  heat  approached.  You’d  not  been  too  hungry  and  had  been  a  bit  sassier  than  usual.  As  he’d  expected  the  dizziness  had  disappeared  entirely  and  when  not  working,  or  with  Steve,  you  and  Pepper  had  been  inseparable.</p>
<p>That  day  you  weren’t  hungry.  You’d  nibbled  on  crackers  and  were  restless  in  your  office.  Steve  had  noticed  you  could  barely  sit  still  when  he  brought  his  expense  reports  by,  and  most  of  the  time  he  was  there,  you  paced  from  your  desk  to  filing  cabinets  to  your  desk  and  over  to  your  calendar  and  back  to  your  desk.</p>
<p>He  wasn’t  at  all  shocked  when  you  wanted  to  spend  the  evening  doing  facials  and  helping  Pepper  make  a  nest.</p>
<p>Sam  gestured  at  a  nearby  shelf  at  bottles  of  lubricant.</p>
<p>This  time  Steve  hesitated.</p>
<p>“Massages,  man.  Women  these  days  love  to  be  massaged.  Trust  me,  heat  some  oil  up  and  focus  on  the  back,  shoulders  and  feet.”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Have  I  ever  steered  you  wrong?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pepper  looked  like  she  was  ready  to  melt  that  coming  morning.</p>
<p>She’d  asked  you  to  come  up  to  her  office  and  to  bring  ice,  lots  of  ice,  all  the  ice,  plus  more  ice.  Which  led  you  into  the  cafeteria  on  your  way  up,  with  a  new  little  plastic  trash  can  you’d  just  bought  at  Office  Depot,  full  of  the  good  stuff.</p>
<p>You  waved  to  Happy,  on  your  way  into  her  office  and  were  nailed  hard  with  her  scent  upon  crossing  the  threshold.</p>
<p>Her  scent  was  overpowering.</p>
<p>You  were  already  on  the  cusp.  You  were  positive  you’d  be  having  your  heat  soon,  very  soon,  but  not  as  soon  as  Pepper.</p>
<p>She  sat  behind  her  desk,  in  a  large  spacious  office  with  so  many  big  windows,  fanning  herself  with  a  file  folder.  Her  jacket  was  on  a  chair.  Her  silk  shirt  was  soaked  with  sweat  and  stuck  to  her  skin,  strawberry  blonde  hair  plastered  to  her  neck  and  face.  Your  friend  was  flushed  red,  sweating  profusely  and  highly  distressed.  </p>
<p>You  might  as  well  have  stepped  into  a  perfumery.  Her  scent  made  your  eyes  water  and  nose  burn  as  you  walked  closer.</p>
<p>“Jeez  Pepper…why  are  you  still  down  here?”</p>
<p>Pepper’s  blue  eyes  were  practically  black.  Hands  clenched  in  pain.  Her  teeth  sank  into  her  lip,  “I  want  to  get  as  much  work  done  as  possible.”</p>
<p>You  could  see  it.</p>
<p>You  knew  it.</p>
<p>She  was  already  cramping.</p>
<p>“I’m  not  ready  yet.  I  have  more  to  do,”  she  added  adamantly,  after  which  she  grabbed  a  piece  of  paper  from  her  desk.  “Did  you  sign  off  on  this  for  Tony?”</p>
<p>An  exchange  was  made  of  ice  for  a  piece  of  paper.</p>
<p>“No…I  did  not,”  you  most  definitely  did  not  sign  off  on  Tony  buying  an  island  for  research  purposes.  When  was  this  even  dated?  Because  that  was  certainly  your  signature.</p>
<p>Pepper  grabbed  a  gigantic  bottle  of  water  from  her  desk,  then  promptly  poured  it  in  the  plastic  bin  of  ice.  Grimly  she  sighed,  “Then  he  made  another  signature  stamp.  You’ll  have  to  go  through  his  desk  and  offices  and  labs  for  it  while  he’s  with  me.”  Once  all  the  water  was  in  the  plastic  can,  she  gave  it  a  good  shake  to  properly  chill  the  water.</p>
<p>Of  course  Tony  would  make  a  stamp  with  your  signature.</p>
<p>You  rolled  your  eyes  and  glanced  over  at  Pepper.  You  then  reached  over  to  press  your  palm  against  her  feverish  forehead.</p>
<p>She’d  most  certainly  started  her  heat.</p>
<p>“You  have  to  tell  Tony.  You  can’t  go  on  much  longer  like  this…did  you  remember  to  take  your  supplements  from  that  hippie-witch  once  you  started  presenting  heat  symptoms?”</p>
<p>Vigorously  your  bestie  nodded.</p>
<p>She  then  gripped  the  bucket  with  freshly  manicured  hands  and  breathed  deeply.  “This  heat  feels  right.  I  think  it’ll  happen  this  time.”  And  then,  then  Pepper  lifted  the  plastic  trash  can  you’d  just  bought  and  dumped  it  over  her  head.  Ice  water  and  ice  splashing  everywhere.</p>
<p>Deeply  you  sighed.</p>
<p>You  watched  her  relax  a  smidge,  gaining  a  moment  of  relief  beneath  the  frigid  water.</p>
<p>“Ok…where’s  your  phone?”</p>
<p>Pepper  pointed  to  her  desk  and  you  grabbed  it,  swiped  your  thumb  over  the  screen  and  eventually  sent  a  message  to  Tony.  After  which,  you  pocketed  it  and  walked  around  the  desk.  “It’s  time,  Pep.  Come  on.  Up  you  go.  The  sooner  you  get  up  there  in  your  nest  the  sooner  you  can  make  me  an  Auntie  and  Natasha  a  Godmother.”</p>
<p>You  hesitated.</p>
<p>She  was  wet  and  you  had  on  a  favorite  knit  dress  of  yours.  </p>
<p>But  you  loved  Pepper.  So  you  helped  pull  her  up,  flung  her  arm  over  your  shoulders.  “Come  on.  Let’s  go  get  you  pregnant.”</p>
<p>Her  cold  wet  body  felt  nice  against  yours.</p>
<p>You  weren’t  quite  as  feverish  as  her,  but  you  were  getting  there,  you  were  feeling  warm  in  the  air-conditioned  building.  You  were  jittery.  You’d  been  having  difficulty  remaining  seated  down  in  your  office.  All  you  really  wanted  to  do  was  go  fluff  up  your  nest,  roll  around  in  it,  inhale  the  smell  of  you  and  Steve.  For  now,  you  were  ok.  For  now,  things  were  bearable.  For  now,  you  could  look  after  Pepper  till  Tony  showed  up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve  hurried  through  the  gym,  towards  the  locker  room,  intent  with  one  purpose  and  the  knowing  of  a  Bonded  Alpha.  </p>
<p>He  just  straight  up  knew.</p>
<p>He  knew,  somehow  he  just  knew.</p>
<p>Six  miles  into  his  ten-mile  run  he  turned  back.  He  bid  his  running  partners,  Sam  and  Natasha,  fond  farewells  and  headed  back  to  the  compound  gym,  where  he’d  left  his  phone  in  his  locker.  The  locker  room  wasn’t  too  busy.  Not  that  he  noticed.  He  beelined  straight  for  his  locker,  where  he  saw  the  screen  of  his  phone  illuminate  with  a  second  text  message  from  you.</p>
<p>Steve  grabbed  his  phone.</p>
<p>It  was  late.</p>
<p>Pepper  had  texted  Tony  around  nine  that  morning.  </p>
<p>He  knew  that  because  he’d  personally  seen  Tony  haul  ass  up  the  stairs  when  the  elevator  had  taken  too  long.  Tony  had  shouted  out  to  him  to  sign  him  out  for  the  week.  Steve’d  expected  to  hear  from  you  not  too  long  after.</p>
<p>Now  it  was  a  little  after  four.</p>
<p>Your  first  text  was  pretty  simple.</p>
<p>-Going  up  2  my  room…think  my  heats  starting  soon-</p>
<p>Your  second  was  obviously  more  recent.</p>
<p>-Its  here  omg  its  here  kill  me  now-</p>
<p>Steve  didn’t  bother  to  shower  or  change.  He  sent  a  quick  message  to  you  and  slammed  his  locker  shut.</p>
<p>=Be  right  up.=</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You  heard  your  phone  quack  from  a  text.</p>
<p>However,  you  could  not  bring  yourself  to  check  your  phone.</p>
<p>You’d  pulled  off  all  your  clothes  because  it  was  far  too  hot  to  wear  clothes.  It  was  so  hot,  you  swore  your  blood  was  boiling.  And  if  that  wasn’t  bad  enough,  your  panties  were  drenched  with  a  massive  amount  of  slick.  Your  tights  were  sticky  and  the  skirt  of  your  dress  soaked.  It  slid  down  your  legs,  far  stickier  and  more  of  it  then  you  could  ever  remember.  And  to  top  all  of  that  off,  to  add  a  cherry  on  top  of  your  horrible  Sunday,  you  were  cramping  something  horrible  and  tender,  far  beyond  sore,  it  was  so  sensitive  between  your  legs  you  actually  hurt.  Where  had  that  pain  been  your  whole  life?  It  felt  like  there  was  a  raw  nerve  between  your  legs.</p>
<p>Somehow,  you  managed  to  stumble  to  your  shower  and  turn  the  water  on  as  cold  as  you  could  get  it.</p>
<p>You’d  grabbed  your  recently  acquired  sex  toy  you’d  bought  in  preparation  for  your  heat,  in  the  off-chance  Steve  was  away  for  some  emergency  Avengering.  </p>
<p>You  didn’t  have  a  chance  to  take  your  makeup  or  jewelry  off.</p>
<p>You  stumbled,  tripped  and  then  slid  into  the  shower,  like  some  sort  of  sea  creature  into  the  frigid  water.  Water  that  did  little  to  bring  you  relief.  Your  face  rested  against  the  shower  floor  as  you  jammed  the  sex  toy  between  your  legs  desperately,  with  shaking  hands,  like  it  would  save  your  life.  Feeling  something,  anything,  between  your  legs  brought  a  cry  from  your  lips,  a  whimper  and  then  sob  as  your  internal  muscles  clenched  finally  onto  something.  Heavy  cramping  continued  in  a  sadistic  sort  of  way,  as  if  your  body  was  punishing  you  for  your  previous  missed  heats.</p>
<p>It  took  a  moment  for  your  fingers  to  find  the  little  button  on  your  toy.  And  then…bliss.</p>
<p>Movement.</p>
<p>Was  it  the  movement  you  wanted?  No.</p>
<p>The  only  thing  you  wanted  moving  between  your  legs  was  Steve.  However,  until  he  showed  up,  you  could  only  take  what  you  had  and  anything  moving  between  your  legs  was  better  than  nothing.  </p>
<p>You  closed  your  eyes.  You  closed  your  thighs  and  entwined  your  calves  like  a  pretzel,  tightening  around  the  battery-operated  device.  Cold  water  rained  down  on  your  thighs  and  waist.  Deep  gasps  came  from  you  as  it  buzzed.</p>
<p>Several  times  you  came,  your  body  climaxed  from  the  toy  but  it  wasn’t  enough.  It  wasn’t  nearly  enough  to  bring  even  a  little  relief  from  the  pain,  from  the  tight  violent  cramping.  Your  body  didn’t  want  the  toy.  Your  body  wanted  your  mate.  Your  body  didn’t  want  a  fake  imitation.  Your  body  wanted  Steve,  your  body  wanted  to  feel  his  weight  on  you.  You  wanted  to  smell  his  spicy  rich  scent,  taste  him,  run  your  fingers  through  his  hair.  You  wanted  to  hear  him  say  your  name.  You  wanted  to  feel  his  teeth  in  your  neck.</p>
<p>No  matter  how  many  times  you  came,  the  toy  never  felt  right.</p>
<p>It  felt  like  a  foreign  object.  </p>
<p>It’d  do  in  a  pinch.  But  it  didn’t  feel  like  your  mate,  it  didn’t  feel  like  a  part  of  you.  So  you  did  the  next  best  thing.  You  closed  your  eyes  and  pictured  your  mate,  thought  of  him  during  happier  times,  tried  to  recall  just  how  wonderful  he  smelled  during  his  rut.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In  what  had  to  be  a  land-speed  record,  Steve  was  in  your  apartment  quicker  than  he  even  thought  was  possible.  </p>
<p>Internally,  he  thanked  every  cloud  in  the  sky  that  he  had  the  forethought  to  drop  off  all  the  supplies  he’d  bought  earlier.  And  would  have  kissed  himself  for  grabbing  a  few  condoms  to  stuff  in  his  pocket  too.</p>
<p>Your  scent  lingered  when  he  stepped  out  of  the  elevator.</p>
<p>Which  wasn’t  shocking,  considering  you’d  left  your  apartment  door  open.</p>
<p>If  Steve  was  upset,  he  totally  forgot  why  when  your  scent  hit  him,  nearly  knocking  him  to  his  knees.  It  was  like  someone  just  threw  a  few  cinnamon  sticks,  sugar  and  a  sliced  lemon  in  a  gallon  of  tea.  He’d  only  just  managed  to  lock  the  door  and  he  was  painfully  hard.</p>
<p>Off  came  his  shirt.</p>
<p>He  called  your  name  but  was  already  walking  towards  the  sounds  of  a  shower,  following  your  trail  of  clothes  as  he  kicked  off  a  sneaker,  then  his  other  sneaker.  </p>
<p>Your  cell  phone  was  on  the  floor  as  his  exercise  pants  were  pushed  from  his  hips.</p>
<p>Again,  he  called  your  name,  grabbed  foil  packets  from  one  of  the  packets  as  his  senses  brought  him  into  the  bathroom.  With  his  teeth,  he  ripped  open  a  packet  and  was  rolling  on  a  condom  before  his  pants,  or  briefs,  even  made  it  past  his  knees.  All  as  he  peered  into  the  shower  and  got  a  feel  of  the  painfully  cold  water  on  his  hand.</p>
<p>Jesus  that  was  cold,  and  what  the  hell  was  that  buzzing  noise?</p>
<p>“Omega…Mega?”</p>
<p>Distantly  you  heard  him,  much  in  the  way  an  elephant  notices  a  fly.</p>
<p>You  were  drowning  in  a  sea  of  hormones,  cramps,  pheromones,  fever  and  a  distinct  mechanical  buzzing  that  you  had  to  keep  adjusting  as  your  slick  was  making  it  slide,  leaving  you  all  curled  up  in  a  knot  to  keep  it  in  for  even  a  smidge  of  relief.</p>
<p>You  were  in  hell.</p>
<p>Why  on  earth  did  you  miss  your  heat  again?</p>
<p>Clearly  you  had  been  delusional.  This  was  the  absolute  worst.  You  could  barely  stand  this,  why  on  earth  did  your  body  think  you  were  ready  to  be  bred?</p>
<p>You  were  in  so  much  pain,  you  barely  noticed  Steve  when  he  climbed  into  the  shower,  or  when  he  reached  up  to  turn  the  water  off.  He  was  saying  things  to  you  but  you  were  so  out  of  it.  Strong  hands  smoothed  up  your  arms.  He  kissed  your  cheek  and  neck  and  shoulder,  whispering  things  you  didn’t  grasp  but  his  soft  tone  was  enough.  Finally,  he  was  able  to  curl  up  behind  you,  pull  your  body  against  his  solid  chest,  where  you  belonged.  </p>
<p>Against  his  thighs,  Steve  felt  the  buzz.</p>
<p>It  was  a  second  before  he  realized  you  had  a  toy  inserted,  and  another  second  for  him  to  slip  his  hand  between  your  clenched  thighs.  Whispering  softly  against  your  ear  how  perfect  you  were,  what  a  good  little  Omega  you  were,  how  he’d  make  everything  ok  if  you’d  just  open  your  legs  a  little  bit.</p>
<p>When  you  finally  did,  Steve  slid  his  knee  between  your  thighs.</p>
<p>It  took  no  effort.  Your  own  body  and  slick  helped  push  out  the  toy,  which  Steve  turned  off  with  a  flick  of  his  thumb,  sticking  it  up  on  a  shelf  to  get  the  offending  hot  pink  item  out  of  his  sight.  </p>
<p>When  he  took  himself  in  hand,  to  guide  himself  through  your  thighs  and  into  your  clenching  body,  he  was  floored  at  how  much  you  repeatedly  tightened  around  him.  It  was  immediate.  It  made  pushing  into  your  body  a  challenge  at  first,  as  it  took  him  by  surprise.</p>
<p>Paired  with  your  soft  whimpering  of,  “It  hurts…it  hurts…make  it  stop  hurting…”</p>
<p>Steve  was  able  to  deduce  that  it  was  heat  cramps,  intense  and  painfully  so.</p>
<p>In  that  moment,  he  was  actually  glad  he  just  had  his  rut.  Even  through  the  condom,  he  could  feel  your  channel  tighten  around  him  like  a  fist,  and  he  knew  for  a  fact  that  you  weren’t  having  an  orgasm.  He  needed  to  focus.  He  needed  to  get  you  through  this,  he  needed  to  figure  this  out  to  make  you  comfortable,  because  seeing  you  like  this  was  a  big  hard  no.</p>
<p>Steve  slid  in  till  the  curve  of  your  ass  pressed  against  his  pelvis.  His  hand  slid  down  between  your  slippery  thighs.  He  found  your  clit  and  began  to  stroke  you,  touch  you  in  that  way  he  knew  would  bring  you  to  a  quick  orgasm.</p>
<p>In  that  position,  he  couldn’t  get  too  deep.</p>
<p>He  was  deep  enough  to  count  though  and  gave  you  slow  firm  thrusts,  all  while  he  stroked  you  and  felt  a  familiar  ache  on  his  cock.  He  knew  in  that  moment  he  was  going  to  pop  his  knot.  Usually  that  much  fun  only  happened  during  his  ruts.  Once  or  twice  he  felt  it  partially  inflate  with  you,  or  when  he  jerked  off  thinking  about  you.  He  never  really  believed  in  the  old  wives  tales  about  True  Mates.  But  maybe  there  was  something  to  it?  Your  heat  was  making  his  knot  ache  like  it  had  when  he  hit  puberty  and  first  presented.  Fuck,  it  hadn’t  ached  like  that  in  what  felt  like  forever.  Half  a  century  at  the  very  least.</p>
<p>You  were  too  out  of  it  to  even  notice.  </p>
<p>Your  body  was  so  wracked  with  pain  and  fever  from  the  surging  hormones  after  not  having  any  changes  for  a  year,  you  never  noticed  his  knot  when  it  pressed  against  your  inner  thigh.  You  hardly  noticed  your  first  few  orgasms  really.  You  weren’t  entirely  sure  if  you’d  survive  this  heat  and  you  were  so  not  being  a  drama  queen.</p>
<p>Steve  was  determined  to  break  the  grip  your  heat  held  over  you.</p>
<p>It  had  become  some  kind  of  a  sacred  duty.</p>
<p>When  every  climax  he  brought  you  to  only  seemed  to  chip  away  at  it,  just  only  barely  taking  the  edge  away  a  bit,  he  knew  he  had  to  change  tactics.  He’d  faced  all  manner  of  evildoers  and  villainous  sorts,  his  girl’s  heat  would  not  beat  him.</p>
<p>Steve  knew  he  had  to  take  a  different  course  of  action.</p>
<p>Sliding  out  of  your  body,  he  quickly  removed  the  soiled  condom.  Quickly  tossing  it  out  of  the  shower  in  the  general  direction  of  the  trash,  before  scooping  you  up  in  his  arms  and  cradling  you  to  the  wall  of  his  chest.</p>
<p>The  nest.</p>
<p>It  stuck  out  in  his  head  from  his  rut,  he  had  fond  memories  of  that  nest.</p>
<p>Not  bothering  to  dry  off,  he  carried  you  into  the  nest,  setting  you  down  in  the  sea  of  bedding  that  smelled  of  you  both.  More  pillows  and  soft  blankets  had  been  added  since  his  rut.  The  whole  nest  seemed  to  have  grown  in  size  since  he  ripped  it  into  being.  As  he  knelt  down  over  you,  your  body  seemed  to  react  to  being  in  your  nest,  surrounded  by  all  your  scents  and  soft  items.  You  arched  back  into  your  nesting  spot.  Needy  little  noises  fell  from  your  lips.  When  you  arched  back,  your  breasts  pushed  forward,  your  hips  opened  wider,  your  feet  dug  into  blankets  as  your  body  coiled  beneath  his,  tempting  him  like  never  before.</p>
<p>A  growl  rumbled  in  his  chest.  </p>
<p>And  that  was  before  he  caught  the  scent  of  your  slick,  no  longer  diluted  from  the  shower.  Your  body  was  so  ripe,  so  fertile.  His  dick  weeped  as  his  body  physically  reacted  to  your  heat.  Drops  of  cum  fell  into  the  nest  from  him.</p>
<p>If  he  wasn’t  careful,  he’d  end  up  fucking  a  pup  into  you.</p>
<p>But  that  wasn’t  what  he  wanted.</p>
<p>Everything  in  his  body,  heart  and  soul  wanted  to  take  you  bare,  knowing  the  pleasure  would  be  absolutely  exquisite.  </p>
<p>His  brain,  his  mind,  reminded  him  that  he  wasn’t  in  a  rut.  It  wouldn’t  be  as  good  as  if  he  was  in  a  rut.  Not  a  doubt  was  in  him  that  your  next  heat  would  push  him  into  a  rut.  Next  time  he  would  indulge.  Next  time  the  two  of  you  could  prepare.  Next  time  he’d  be  ready,  you’d  be  ready,  next  time  it  would  be  different.</p>
<p>As  your  fingers  sank  into  blankets,  his  name  fell  from  your  lips  in  breathy  pained  gasps.</p>
<p>“Shit…”  he  swore  right  before  he  reached  down,  grabbed  one  of  the  newly  purchased  boxes  and  ripped  into  it.  Making  a  mess  in  his  haste  and  grabbing  a  foil  packet.  Quite    angrily  he  ripped  into  that  and  with  quick  fingers,  rolled  it  on.  “Next  time  Doll.  Next  time  we’re  going  to  fuck  like  animals.”</p>
<p>Soft  noises  came  out  of  you.  Not  so  much  in  response  to  his  words,  just  the  sound  of  your  mate’s  voice.  Steve  could  have  been  reciting  War  and  Peace  to  you.  Your  hands  reached  for  him,  smoothed  over  his  thick  shoulders,  you  began  to  kiss  and  nibble  and  suck  on  the  skin  of  his  chest.  All  you  could  focus  on  was  how  he  tasted,  how  he  felt  pressed  over  you…weighing  you  down  into  the  nest…pushing  back  inside  of  you  to  the  hilt.</p>
<p>“I’m  going  to  make  you  feel  better  by  tomorrow  and  then…”  he  began  to  move,  pushing  into  you  hard  enough  to  make  your  body  shake  each  time,  make  you  yelp,  mewl,  push  over  that  spongy  spot  inside  of  you  that  would  make  you  spasm  around  him  in  pleasure.  “…I’m  going  to  pay  you  back…you  remember  what  you  did  to  me  when  I  rutted…you  remember  Omega?”</p>
<p>His  body  plowed  into  you  mercilessly.  His  pace  was  hard,  intent  and  focused  on  one  spot,  one  thing.</p>
<p>Your  head  thrashed  back  and  forth.  Your  legs  began  to  curl  up  around  him,  hook  around  his  thighs,  moved  on  their  own  from  muscle  memory,  reacted  to  his  body.  Steve  ducked  his  head  to  your  breast,  sucked  your  nipple  into  his  mouth,  toyed  with  it  between  his  teeth  with  his  tongue  until  your  whimpers  grew  louder,  your  squirming  harder.</p>
<p>With  a  pop,  he  released  your  breast  from  his  mouth,  satisfied  to  see  your  soft  flesh  wet  from  him,  red  from  his  attentions.</p>
<p>“Every  damn  time  I  woke  up…that  perfect  little  mouth  of  yours…was  on  my  dick…”</p>
<p>Pounding  and  thrusting  with  a  newfound  ferocity  as  you  let  out  a  wail,  a  pained  noise.  Steve  didn’t  slow  down.  You  tightened  up.  Your  body  clenched  as  you  came  and  he  never  let  up.  Not  yet.  No,  not  yet.</p>
<p>“…we’re  going  to  do  this  until  you  pass  out…and  when  you  wake  up…it’s  going  to  be  with  my  face  between  your  legs…every  fucking  time…you  got  that  Omega…say  yes  Omega…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Steve  generally  didn’t  sleep  a  lot.</p>
<p>Three  or  four,  maybe  even  five  hours  a  week  due  to  the  serum.  More  if  he  was  grievously  hurt,  or  rutting  like  his  life  depended  on  it.</p>
<p>While  you  were  passed  out  beside  him,  Steve  read  a  book  he’d  found  on  the  little  table  you’d  put  by  the  nest.  He’d  been  pleased  to  see  it  was  one  he  recognized.  ‘And  then  there  were  none.’  So  while  you  dozed  in  the  early  hours  he  read.  One  arm  tucked  behind  his  head,  while  his  other  was  wrapped  around  your  shoulders  holding  the  book.</p>
<p>As  per  your  usual,  you  were  a  restless  sleeper.</p>
<p>Your  body  was  unusually  hot  against  his,  sweaty,  twitchier  than  usual.  </p>
<p>It  was  a  little  after  dawn  when  you  slipped  into  a  less  deep  sleep.  Your  heavy  breathing  lightened,  your  heartrate  changed  a  bit.  His  dick  twitched  in  interest.  As  you  began  to  move  more,  shift  beside  him,  react  to  his  body  unconsciously,  he  caught  the  fresh  scent  of  your  slick  as  your  body  began  to  wake.</p>
<p>Needless  to  say,  he  set  Dame  Christie  on  the  floor  for  later.</p>
<p>When  he  slid  out  from  beside  you,  you  moaned  in  your  sleep,  in  protest.</p>
<p>You  were  such  a  good  little  Omega,  even  when  you  were  bad.  </p>
<p>Sitting  up,  Steve  shifted  around,  moved,  curled  on  his  side  in  the  other  direction,  lying  down  till  he  was  able  to  push  your  legs  apart,  a  fresh  new  slick  smearing  along  your  thighs.  Steve  pressed  teeth  into  your  thigh  and  you  fidgeted.  He  slid  two  fingers  up  through  your  arousal  and  your  eyes  opened,  your  eyes  watched  him,  locked  onto  his,  watched  his  eyes  as  his  hand  slid  up  further.  Steve  watched  you  watch  him.  He  kissed  your  thigh,  spread  his  fingers  between  your  lips,  groaning  when  a  wet  noise  filled  his  ears. </p>
<p>“How’s  your  heat  Doll?”</p>
<p>You  were  tender,  your  body  cramped  a  little  but  not  nearly  as  horribly  as  before.  You  were  hungry  for  him,  your  mind  muddy.  All  you  could  think  about  was  one  thing.  You  were  so  frustrated  by  your  biology.  All  you  could  think  about  came  from  your  lips,  not  sexily  or  even  remotely  enticingly.  “I  just  want  to  sit  on  your  face.”  You  were  so  needy  it  was  embarrassing.  Your  treacherous  biology  was  set  on  one  thing  and  refused  to  see  reason.</p>
<p>Well  that  sounded  delightful.</p>
<p>Steve  filed  that  away  for  a  later  time.</p>
<p>One  strong  hand  pushed  your  thigh  up  and  he  leaned  forward,  he  breathed  your  scent  deeply  then  pressed  his  lips  to  your  clit.  Ran  his  tongue  around  your  little  bundle  of  nerves.  You  were  so  wet  he  could  feel  your  slick  on  his  chin,  cheeks  and  nose.  As  he  sucked  your  clit  deeply,  the  wet  noises  your  slick  made  were  filthy,  the  noises  that  came  from  you  were  even  more  so.</p>
<p>And  then,  then  Steve  nearly  died.</p>
<p>Your  hot  wet  mouth  took  in  a  few  inches  of  him.  Your  small  hands  wrapped  around  his  girth,  pushed  back  his  foreskin  and  you  sank  deeper,  ran  your  tongue  over  his  head.  When  you  felt  fingers  slide  inside  of  you,  you  moaned  against  him,  he  popped  out  of  your  mouth.  Almost  pornographic  noises  came  from  you  and  when  you  reached  for  his  dick  again.  Muscular  arms  wrapped  around  you,  pulled  you  against  him  and  up,  making  a  surprised  noise  escape  from  you  as  you  found  yourself  caught.  Those  powerful  arms  hugged  your  pelvis  and  his  face  buried  between  your  legs.</p>
<p>“Oh  shit…oh  God…”  You  dropped  your  face  against  his  abs.</p>
<p>Wet  sucking  noises  came  from  your  body  as  he  pushed  his  fingers  in  and  out  of  you,  making  profanities  spill  from  your  lips.  It  was  practically  unbearable.  Your  slick  began  to  smear  over  his  chest  and  down  your  thighs.</p>
<p>“You  taste  like  a  dream  Omega…”  A  high  pitched  keen  came  from  you  when  he  drug  his  tongue  up  along  the  inside  of  your  thigh.  His  breath  hot  against  your  skin.  “I  could  spend  all  morning  down  here.  Just  like  you  did  to  me.  Remember?”</p>
<p>“I’m  sorry…I  take  it  back,  I  take  it  all  back,”  you  cried  out.</p>
<p>Steve  smirked  against  your  thigh  and  watched  you  clench  around  his  fingers,  so  wet  and  flushed  in  arousal.  “What  do  you  want?”</p>
<p>Your  fingertips  dig  into  his  hips.</p>
<p>What  did  you  want?</p>
<p>“Tell  me  Doll.  What  do  you  want?  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  to  you?”</p>
<p>What  was  it  you  wanted  most?</p>
<p>Your  head  whipped  over  your  shoulder  to  look  down  at  him.  You  licked  your  lips.  You  knew  exactly  what  you  wanted  in  that  moment.  Your  eyes  sparkled  darkly  at  him.  “Tell  me  to  present  for  you…”</p>
<p>Oh  how  wisely  you’d  chosen.</p>
<p>Steve  kissed  the  back  of  your  thigh.  His  voice  then  deepened,  his  voice  sent  a  chill  up  your  spine  and  made  goosebumps  break  out  over  your  body.  One  of  his  arms  unwrapped  from  around  you  to  grab  something  off  the  floor.  </p>
<p>“Present  for  me…”</p>
<p>Your  body  reacted  seemingly  on  its  own  for  your  Alpha.  You  slid  from  him  and  crawled  forward,  dropped  down  on  your  wrists,  spread  open  your  knees.  You  breathed  deeply  through  your  nose  as  a  gush  of  slick  escaped  from  you.  Luridly,  it  ran  down  along  the  inside  of  your  thigh.  Only  then,  did  you  peer  back  over  your  shoulder,  in  time  to  see  Steve  rise  up  onto  his  knees.  You  watched  him  roll  a  condom  on  his  erect  cock.</p>
<p>“You  look  so  beautiful  presenting  for  me…are  you  ready  Omega?”</p>
<p>Most  enthusiastically  you  nodded.</p>
<p>“Can  you  take  my  knot?”</p>
<p>Even  more  enthusiasm.  You  were  too  far  gone  to  ask  how  he  was  going  to  knot  you  outside  of  a  rut.  However,  when  Steve  slid  his  dick  up  through  your  soaked  folds,  that  thought  just  sort  of  vanished  in  a  whiff  of  smoke.  When  he  pushed  into  you,  you  were  gone.  Inch  by  inch  he  sank  into  you,  inch  by  inch  by  inch  he  sank  in  further  and  further,  until  breathy  gasps  came  from  you.  Your  hips  widened  to  take  more  of  him.  His  thighs  pressed  against  you  and  finally,  finally  you  felt  him  press  up  against  your  cervix,  physically  demanding  a  response  from  you.</p>
<p>Slowly  Steve  began  to  move  his  hips.  Slowly  he  pulled  out  then  pushed  in,  pulled  out  then  pushed  in,  pulled  and  pushed  through  your  slick  channel.  Through  the  condom  he  could  feel  you  clench  him.  Your  body  was  so  hot,  so  tight.</p>
<p>His  hands  fell  on  your  shoulders,  tightly  gripping  you  as  his  hips  picked  up  speed. </p>
<p>You  pushed  back  into  him.  You  wanted  him  even  more,  you  didn’t  want  any  space  between  the  two  of  you,  your  body  wanted  every  last  bit  of  him.</p>
<p>Every  time  he  pulled  out,  you  felt  your  heart  squeeze.</p>
<p>Every  time  he  shoved  his  cock  back  inside  of  you,  you  moaned,  you  wanted  him  to  stay  in  you  forever,  you  felt  his  balls  hit  you  and  you  knew  he  couldn’t  go  any  further  inside  of  you.</p>
<p>Each  time  was  like  that.</p>
<p>Each  time  was  a  high  followed  by  a  low.</p>
<p>“Are  you  close,”  you  gasped.</p>
<p>Steve’s  hands  dug  tighter  into  your  shoulders.  An  ache  began  to  grow  from  his  cock  all  the  way  up  his  spine.  His  knot  was  slowly  inflating.  Twice  he  caught  on  you  between  pumps  in  and  out,  in  and  out.  His  mouth  open  with  deep  breaths.  “Yeah…I’m  close…you?”</p>
<p>You  nodded,  you  licked  your  lips,  you  were  so  close.  So  so  close  and  then  you  felt  it,  you  heard  him  swear  as  he  got  stuck  in  you,  stretching  you  uncomfortably.  His  knot  had  swollen.  A  distessed  cry  came  from  you  and  he  let  go  of  your  shoulder.  Steve  snaked  a  hand  down  around  your  belly  so  he  could  stroke  your  clit,  bring  you  to  orgasm  with  him  as  he  came  violently  in  his  condom,  shouting  in  release.</p>
<p>Not  that  you  lasted  much  longer  after  that,  he  knew  how  to  touch  you.  Knew  what  could  make  you  hit  that  peak  and  you  were  so  close  already.  By  that  time,  he  kept  stroking  you  through  your  screaming  orgasm  as  he  came,  prolonging  your  pleasure  almost  unbearably  long.  Until  you  were  gasping  and  arched  up,  toes  curled,  your  body  spasming  around  his  erection.  Already  overly  sensitive  from  your  heat,  you  just  melted  back  up  against  him.  Backside  pressed  up  into  his  pelvis,  face  buried  in  your  nest,  arms  splayed  out  above  your  head.  You  had  a  distant  memory  of  that  position  as  a  yoga  pose  and  wondered  if  you  should  sign  back  up  for  that,  especially  considering  how  sexually  active  you’d  become  of  lately.</p>
<p>When  you  felt  him  shift  around  behind  you,  you  grunted  at  him  in  protest,  surprisingly  comfortable.</p>
<p>Not  that  Steve  was  uncomfortable.  </p>
<p>His  knot  was  wedged  up  inside  of  you  for  the  foreseeable  future.  He’d  just  achieved  coital  bliss  and  your  body  was  still  clenching  around  him  softly,  in  little  aftershocks.  He  could  have  been  perfectly  happy  just  resting  on  his  knees,  smoothing  his  palms  over  the  small  of  your  back,  until  whenever  his  knot  went  down.</p>
<p>On  the  other  hand,  he  really  would  have  preferred  curling  up  against  you  for  some  more  skin  on  skin  contact.  Thus,  leading  to  him  leaning  down,  resting  his  elbows  beside  yours,  caging  your  legs  with  his  own,  peppering  kisses  down  your  spine  to  your  neck.</p>
<p>You  were  uncomfortable.</p>
<p>You  were  now  hot,  on  top  of  being  feverish.</p>
<p>Even  with  a  good  amount  of  his  weight  distributed  between  his  elbows  and  knees,  his  knot  still  pressed  harder  against  you  at  that  angle.</p>
<p>Did  you  complain?</p>
<p>Never.</p>
<p>What  came  out  of  your  mouth  was  in  the  form  of  a  question.  “Did  I  push  you  into  a  rut?”</p>
<p>Steve’s  voice  was  soft,  perhaps  a  touch  winded,  “No.”</p>
<p>That  one  syllable  answer  led  into  your  next  question.</p>
<p>“That’s  your  knot?  Right?”</p>
<p>If  you  remembered  correctly  and  there  was  a  chance  you  had  not,  he  may  have  brought  it  up  around  the  time  of  intercourse.</p>
<p>You  both  heard  and  felt  him  laugh  softly.  “Yeah…that’s  my  knot,  and  no,  that’s  never  happened  outside  of  a  rut  before  for  me.”</p>
<p>You  didn’t  quite  know  what  to  say  to  that,  ‘Neat’  didn’t  seem  to  cover  it  and  ‘How  Interesting’  just  didn’t  sound  right.  Steve  didn’t  really  want  to  bring  up  that  old  wives  tale  about  ‘True  Mates.’  Not  until  he  had  some  time  to  think  about  how  he  really  felt  about  it,  so  he  deflected  like  a  pro.  He’d  watched  Tony  do  it  enough  to  know  how  it  was  done.</p>
<p>“How  long  have  you  had  that  alarming  looking  sex  toy?”</p>
<p>A  flurry  of  emotions  went  through  you.  Confusion,  perplexion  and  finally  understanding,  with  a  little  bit  of  wonder,  as  to  what  happened  to  said  sex  toy.  As  you  sorta  kinda  remembered  grabbing  it  and  taking  it  into  the  bathroom  with  you,  as  your  heat  haze  had  kicked  your  ass.</p>
<p>“Are  you  jealous  of  a  sex  toy  Captain  Rogers?”</p>
<p>Teeth  nibbled  at  your  neck  and  you  squirmed.</p>
<p>More  of  his  weight  came  to  rest  on  your  back.  His  breath  was  hot  against  your  ear,  “I’m  not  jealous  of  a  sex  toy.  I’ve  just  never  seen  that  around  here  before  and  didn’t  realize  you  had  one.”</p>
<p>God  did  his  weight  feel  so  good  pressing  you  into  your  nest.  </p>
<p>Your  teeth  sank  into  your  bottom  lip,  as  you  relished  the  feeling.  You  were  going  to  enjoy  the  next  words  out  of  your  mouth  so  much.  “Well  I’ve  only  had  it  a  week…”  And  you  felt  his  body  react,  tense.  “…when  it  became  a  sure  thing  that  my  heat  was  actually  going  to  make  an  appearance,  I  went  out  and  got  one.  Just  in  case  you  got  called  away  for  some  Avenging  related  duty,  when  it  came.  Luckily…I  did  have  it  on  hand…you  didn’t  break  it?  Did  you?”</p>
<p>Steve  was  moving  around  an  awful  lot  against  your  back.  Pushing  your  hair  aside  and  touching  you  a  significant  amount.  “No,  I’m  not  jealous.  And  I  didn’t  break  it  on  purpose.”</p>
<p>Somehow  you  doubted  that  strongly.</p>
<p>A  snort  may  have  escaped  from  you,  “You  owe  me  ninety  bucks.”</p>
<p>As  expected,  at  first  he  began  to  argue,  but  then  he  corrected  himself  when  your  words  sunk  in.  “Ok  it  was  an  accide…you  spent  ninety  dollars  on  a  vibrating  penis?”</p>
<p>You  were  prepared  for  him.</p>
<p>“I  spent  ninety  dollars  on  twenty-two  various  vibration  settings,  a  clitoral  stimulator,  realistic  veiny  sides  and  it  had  an  inflatable  knot  on  it.  Did  you  notice  it  was  pink  with  a  glitter  finish?  It  was  by  far  the  prettiest  one  the  shop  had  in  stock.”</p>
<p>Steve  was  in  no  way  prepared  to  hear  any  of  that.</p>
<p>“I’ll  make  it  up  to  you,”  he  promised.</p>
<p>Surely  they  had  knotting  toys  back  when  he  had  presented.  Omega’s  went  into  heat  back  then  and  needed  relief.  Ninety  dollars-worth  of  relief  though?</p>
<p>When  once  more  you  peeked  over  your  shoulder  at  him,  developing  a  slight  pain  in  your  neck  from  doing  it  so  much,  you  bit  your  lip.  Your  gaze  wandered  over  his  face.  You  took  in  the  couple  of  freckles  on  his  face,  his  strong  nose  and  darkening  chin  and  cheeks  that  would  need  a  shave  soon.  “Will  you  bite  me?”</p>
<p>Like  you  even  needed  to  ask  him  that  question.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>3  Months  Later…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You  weren’t  sure  when  it  happened.</p>
<p>Nor  were  you  entirely  sure  how  it  happened.</p>
<p>All  you  knew  was  that  you  were  not,  in  any  way,  prepared  for  it.</p>
<p>Nor  were  you  particularly  sure  how  to  get  the  smell  of  llama  out  of  your  clothes.</p>
<p>“I’m  serious  Pepper.  When  the  hell  did  I  get  picked  out  as  official  lama  wrangler?  And  why  was  I  not  invited  to  that  meeting?  I  think  that  Wanda  should  be  in  the  running  since  she  has  powers  and  all…”  You  complained,  hooking  a  lead  to  the  face  harness  on  one  of  Tony’s  escaped  llamas.</p>
<p>Off  in  the  distance,  you  could  see  the  young  red  head  walking  over  towards  the  final  escapee,  two  of  the  other  llamas  following  her  obediently,  single  file  too.</p>
<p>It  simply  was  not  fair.</p>
<p>Especially  not  with  the  inappropriate  footwear  you’d  elected  to  wear  that  casual  Friday.</p>
<p>The  chocolate  colored  furry  beast  watched  you  closely,  flicking  its  tall  ears  as  you  gave  the  lead  a  tentative  tug.</p>
<p>Pepper  was  having  none  of  your  crap  either.</p>
<p>Hands  on  her  hips.  Three  months  pregnant  to  the  day  with  her  first  pup.  She  was  only  just  starting  to  show  a  little  bit.  If  you  didn’t  know,  someone  could  still  think  she  had  just  eaten  a  huge  meal.  </p>
<p>“You  knew  what  you  were  getting  into  when  you  moved  in  with  me.”</p>
<p>That  remark  made  you  look  up  at  her,  a  wry  smirk  on  your  face.</p>
<p>Pepper’s  palms  pressed  against  her  temples.  “I  know…I  know…ignore  me…I’m  just  a  hot  mess  right  now  with  this  pup,  Tony  and  now  Thor  showing  up…”  </p>
<p>You’d  never  seen  an  Asgardian  show  up  and  seeing  the  rainbow  bridge  thingie  was  quite  the  spectacle.  Granted,  your  faux  snakeskin  pumps  had  a  weird  ash  on  them  from  that  big  celtic  knot  looking  burn  his  bridge  had  left  behind.  Plus,  the  fence  for  the  llama  pen  was  smashed  in  one  area.  Which  you  planned  to  get  Wanda  to  fix  somehow.  You’d  seen  her  use  her  powers  to  parallel  park  a  car.  Surely  she  could  fix  a  wooden  fence?</p>
<p>The  llama  seemed  to  be  following  you  without  protest,  so  you  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief.  “Why’d  he  pop  in?  That’s  not  normal  is  it?  I  can’t  remember  him  ever  just  dropping  by  at  all.”</p>
<p>“I  don’t  know…”  Pepper  sighed,  her  scent  growing  thicker  with  her  suspicions  as  you  came  closer  with  Tony’s  llama.  She  looked  Larry  in  the  eye  and  gave  his  furry  neck  a  rub,  as  you  did  your  best  to  avoid  getting  stepped  on  by  one  of  his  hooved  feet.  </p>
<p>You  were  so  investing  in  rain  boots  next  time  you  went  to  Target.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Captain  Rogers  always  amused  Thor.</p>
<p>Thor  was  fond  of  all  his  warrior  friends.  </p>
<p>He  enjoyed  Tony’s  creativity  and  humor,  Banner’s  calm  brilliance  as  well  as  the  wonderful  fights  he  could  have  with  the  Hulk.  Thor  found  the  new  little  witch  and  robot-man  endless  sources  of  fascination.  The  Falcon  made  him  laugh  and  then  Natasha  he  could  never  totally  put  his  finger  on,  which  he  found  particularly  entertaining  in  a  fellow  soldier.  Even  Barton’s  antics  filled  him  with  glee.</p>
<p>However,  the  serious  and  stalwart  captain,  capable  of  great  strength,  but  never  straying  off  that  route  of  good  and  honorable,  just  made  him  wonder.</p>
<p>Surely  there  had  to  be  more  to  the  Alpha.</p>
<p>Every  time  he  visited,  Captain  Rogers  was  busy  with  the  team.  </p>
<p>Captain  Roger’s  was  the  epitome  of  duty.  </p>
<p>Therefore,  Thor  was  hardly  surprised  when  he  explained  what  had  happened  in  Asgard,  explained  about  what  had  been  stolen  and  taken  to  Midgard,  that  the  Captain  would  see  the  seriousness  in  it.  Steve  had  understood  the  seriousness  of  the  plants  stolen  from  the  palace.  Biological  and  chemical  threats  the  noble  captain  had  nodded.  Tony,  as  expected,  grew  excited  halfway  through  the  list  of  stolen  plants  not  meant  for  Midgardians  at  mention  of  aphrodisiac  properties.</p>
<p>Thor  noticed  when  the  good  captain  approached  Natasha,  said  something  quietly  to  her  and  then  slipped  away.  All  while  Tony  prepared  his  suit  and  inquired  about  the  aphrodisiac  plants,  of  which  there  were  only  three  on  the  list  of  numerous  stolen  botanics.  Thor  didn’t  quite  get  it.  Stark  had  already  impregnated  his  Omega  but  the  dark  headed  Alpha  seemed  quite  pleased.</p>
<p>The  Midgardians  still  puzzled  him  at  times.</p>
<p>“Where  has  Captain  Rogers  gone?  We  leave  shortly,”  Thor  asked  Romanov,  thinking  perhaps  that  the  super  soldier  had  forgotten  something  he  should  have  remembered.  Although  that  thought  was  ruled  out  as  the  Black  Widow  adjusted  the  shock  weapons  on  her  sleeves,  a  smirk  on  her  mouth.  </p>
<p>“Captain  Rogers  will  meet  us  at  the  jet.  He  needs  to  go  see  his  Omega  before  he  leaves.”</p>
<p>This  greatly  concerned  Thor.</p>
<p>Cocking  his  big  head  to  the  side,  he  rested  his  hands  on  his  hips.  “Will  there  be  enough  time  for  him  to  find  his  Omega?  When  did  he  find  an  Omega?  I  didn’t  notice  anything  different  about  our  captain.”</p>
<p>Considering  Thor  was  the  God  of  Fertility,  among  other  things,  surely  he  would  have  noticed  that  change.</p>
<p>Natasha  seemed  amused.</p>
<p>“Don’t  worry.  Rogers  can  track  her  down  quicker  than  Tony  can  find  trouble.”</p>
<p>Perhaps  it  was  the  wry  way  she  said  it.  Perhaps  it  was  the  wiggle  of  her  eyebrows.  Or  perhaps,  perhaps  it  was  the  snort  from  Clint,  who  patted  Thor’s  broad  back.  “No  worries  big  guy.  He’s  always  quick  to  say  goodbye  to  Ms  Rogers  before  a  mission.  She’ll  get  the  good  stuff  when  he  gets  home.”</p>
<p>Thor  did  not  think  Clint  had  said  anything  too  offensive.</p>
<p>However,  Stark  seemed  to  disagree.  Lifting  his  head  from  across  the  armory  to  loudly  demand  of  his  teammate,  “You  shut  your  dirty  mouth  Barton!”</p>
<p>Again,  a  bit  taken  back,  Thor  looked  between  the  men.  “I  did  not  know  Captain  Rogers  married.”</p>
<p>Tony’s  answer  was  quick,  definitive,  the  last  bit  having  to  be  forced  out.  “He  didn’t.  The  same  surname  is  just  a  totally  weird  and  random  coincidence.  Nothing  more.  For  God’s  sake…he  just…bonded,  that’s  it.”  </p>
<p>So  much  had  seemed  to  happen  since  he’d  been  home  in  Asgard.</p>
<p>The  witch,  whom  had  given  him  such  horrible  visions,  beamed  beside  him,  “Steven  has  found  his  True  Mate.”</p>
<p>Blonde  eyebrows  rose  in  surprise.</p>
<p>“If  you  believe  in  that  sort  of  thing,”  Tony  chimed  in.</p>
<p>Thor  did,  as  the  God  of  Fertility,  believe  in  such  a  thing.  He  had  fond  memories  of  his  mother  telling  him  about  True  Mates.  He  himself  had  fanaticized  about  such  a  thing  for  himself.  Didn’t  every  Alpha?  Tony’s  remark  didn’t  completely  surprise  him.  The  Midgardians  were  skeptical  about  a  lot.</p>
<p>His  eyes  sought  out  the  Black  Widow’s,  who  seemed  more  amused  than  anything  about  the  sudden  debate  between  Tony,  Wanda  and  Clint  over  the  subject.  The  Black  Widow  most  certainly  had  her  own  opinion  on  the  matter  that  he  could  not  quite  nail  down.  </p>
<p>Upon  some  quick  reflection,  it  didn’t  seem  to  be  too  outside  of  the  realm  of  possibility.</p>
<p>Not  even  in  Asgard  had  he  come  across  a  True  Mate  Pairing,  forget  Midgard.</p>
<p>But  Steve  had  been  able  to  move  his  hammer.  He  strongly  suspected  the  captain  could  lift  it.  Why  wouldn’t  he  be  able  to  find  his  True  Mate?</p>
<p>Thor  planned  to  have  a  chat  with  his  teammate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You  felt  Steve’s  absence  that  evening,  that  night.</p>
<p>Your  phone  was  silent.  Your  apartment  quiet  when  you  returned  after  eating  dinner  with  Pepper,  watching  TV  together  and  turning  down  her  offer  to  let  you  spend  the  night.</p>
<p>Maybe  the  next  night.</p>
<p>On  Steve’s  first  night  away,  you  really  needed  to  be  in  your  apartment,  in  your  little  closet  nest  that  smelled  like  the  both  of  you.  When  he  was  away,  you  could  read  or  lounge  around  on  the  big  nest  in  the  bedroom.  However,  you  still  needed  those  three  walls  and  a  door  with  a  lock  on  it  to  sleep  through  a  night.  And  that  night  was  no  different.</p>
<p>You  took  a  shower  and  got  ready  for  bed,  read  for  a  little  bit  before  you  curled  up  into  your  little  closet.  Even  then,  among  the  sea  of  pillows  and  blankets  and  shirts  you’d  stolen  from  Steve’s  laundry  basket,  it  was  a  while  before  you  drifted  into  a  fitful  sleep.  </p>
<p>For  the  first  time  in  weeks,  quite  possibly  a  month,  you  could  feel  the  claws  of  THAT  nightmare  start  to  sink  into  you.</p>
<p>It  began  like  it  always  did.</p>
<p>It  unrolled  like  a  movie  you’d  seen  hundreds  of  times  before,  in  your  old  home,  in  your  old  bedroom,  in  your  old  bed.  </p>
<p>You  knew  you  were  dreaming.</p>
<p>You  could  feel  your  body  moving  around,  you  could  feel  the  tears  begin  as  you  slept  fitfully.  </p>
<p>It  happened  like  it  always  did  in  your  dream,  back  that  night.</p>
<p>You  woke  up  to  a  gloved  hand  on  your  face,  covering  your  mouth.  It  pressed  so  hard  against  your  mouth  that  you  tasted  blood,  and  were  pushed  back  into  your  pillow.  The  full  moon  was  all  that  illuminated  your  bedroom  through  big  picture  windows  and  as  you  fought,  struggled,  thrashed  around  in  a  fruitless  attempt  to  get  away,  something  was  different.</p>
<p>Your  nightmare  was  different.</p>
<p>When  you  fought,  you  never  saw  anyone  else  in  the  bed,  or  in  the  bedroom.</p>
<p>It  was  just  you  and  that  powerful  gloved  hand  on  your  face,  as  you  frantically  fought.</p>
<p>But  your  nightmare  was  different.</p>
<p>You  fought  and  for  the  first  time  ever,  you  fell  from  your  old  bed.</p>
<p>You  fell  out  of  bed.  Fell  away  from  that  hand,  fell  onto  the  hardwood  floor  getting  free  for  the  first  time  ever  and  as  you  stumbled,  tripped  on  the  hem  of  your  nightshirt.  You  could  hear  his  angry  shouts  at  you.</p>
<p>Your  nightmare  was  different.</p>
<p>Gone  was  the  bedroom.  Gone  was  your  bed.</p>
<p>You  stumbled  to  your  feet,  desperate  to  get  away  from  angry  sounds  of  shouting  from  your  old  bedroom.  </p>
<p>You  were  in  the  old  hallway  of  your  old  home,  terrified,  unable  to  get  your  footing  to  get  away  and  then,  then  a  hand  grabbed  your  arm.</p>
<p>You  screamed  at  unknown  change  to  your  terror  filled  dream.</p>
<p>It  wasn’t  the  masked  man.  </p>
<p>It  was  Steve,  well,  a  smaller  Steve,  a  much  smaller  skinnier  Steve  in  old  style  clothes.</p>
<p>Golden  hair  hung  in  his  face  as  he  pulled  you  roughly  up  to  your  feet.  “Come  on!”  He  encouraged,  pulling  harder,  “Hurry  up!  We  have  to  go!”</p>
<p>Irate  screaming  came  from  behind  you.  Sounds  of  splitting  wood  from  your  bedroom  door  behind  you  being  kicked  down,  filled  the  hallway.  </p>
<p>Somehow  you  got  your  footing  and  stumbled  against  Steve,  who  was  closer  to  your  height  now.  Steve’s  hand  was  tight  around  your  elbow  as  he  yanked  you  into  an  open  doorway,  a  doorway  that  should  have  been  the  guest  room.  When  he  slammed  the  door  behind  you…</p>
<p>…you  weren’t  in  the  old  guestroom  of  your  old  house.</p>
<p>Your  nightmare  was  changing,  it  wasn’t  the  same  dream  anymore.</p>
<p>You  ran  after  Steve,  this  different  Steve,  a  Steve  in  baggy  clothes  that  hung  from  a  seriously  slim  frame.  Dream  Steve  tugged  you  along  after  him  and  through  another  doorway.</p>
<p>And  you  weren’t  in  your  old  house  anymore.</p>
<p>You  looked  around  bewildered  as  he  hurried  and  slammed  a  door,  locked  the  door  and  then  threw  himself  against  that  door,  breathing  loudly  and  deeply.</p>
<p>Curious…you  looked  around  the  old  apartment,  like  really  old.  Small  too.  One  big  room  with  a  small  old-fashioned  kitchen  and  a  well-worn  table,  brick  walls,  warped  worn  wooden  floors,  there  was  one  window  that  looked  out  at  a  brick  wall  outside  the  apartment.  A  large  sheet  hung  up  in  the  corner  to  give  some  privacy  to  what  you  assumed  was  a  bed.</p>
<p>When  you  looked  back  to  him,  you  couldn’t  stop  the  tears,  “Steve?”</p>
<p>It  looked  like  him.  It  smelled  like  him.</p>
<p>Smooth  calming  vanilla  mixed  with  a  spicy  vibrant  cinnamon.  It  was  Steve.  It  was  your  Bondmate.  </p>
<p>You’d  never  dreamt  about  him  like  this  and  when  he  pushed  away  from  the  door  to  wrap  his  arms  around  you,  pulling  you  close,  hugging  you,  you  closed  your  eyes  and  relaxed  into  his  frame.</p>
<p>Steve  kissed  your  cheek,  your  hair  and  ear.  “It’s  ok.  It’s  just  a  dream.  You’re  dreaming.  He  can’t  hurt  you  in  your  dreams.  He  can’t  hurt  you  here.”</p>
<p>Another  pounding  came…a  louder  pounding…but  not  from  your  dream…</p>
<p>You  were  ripped  out  of  your  increasingly  odd  dream,  to  sounds  of  Pepper  banging  on  your  closet  door.  Suddenly  you  were  awake.  Pepper’s  shouting  made  you  desperately  reach  out  for  the  closet  door,  throw  the  lock  and  push  it  open,  terror  filling  you  again  at  the  thought  of  something  being  wrong,  since  you  were  in  the  dark.  It  was  still  night.</p>
<p>Upon  pushing  your  way  out  on  your  knees,  you  were  greeted  to  Pepper,  in  a  night  gown,  holding  a  flashlight.</p>
<p>“What!?  What’s  wrong?!  Is  something  wrong  with  the  Pup?  Do  you  need  Doctor  Cho?!”</p>
<p>Which  was  where  your  mind  went  immediately.</p>
<p>Pepper  made  a  face.</p>
<p>Pepper  was  quiet  for  just  a  second,  “I’m  hungry…”</p>
<p>You  stared  as  you  absorbed  that  new  information.  </p>
<p>She  was  hungry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m  serious  Nat.  The  woman  has  a  never-ending  source  of  relatives  and  friends  who  are  always  getting  accused  of  murder.  The  last  episode  we  watched  was  set  at  a  ski  resort  and  three  people  were  brutally  murdered!  I  had  to  re-watch  it.  The  killer  was  just  so  bizarre,  it  was…”</p>
<p>“Don’t  tell  me,”  Natasha  hissed  from  her  spot  beside  Steve,  on  a  roof,  that  had  a  perfect  view  of  the  warehouse  they  would  raid  come  morning.  “I  want  to  try  and  figure  it  out  myself.  Don’t  ruin  it.”</p>
<p>The  duo  were  side  by  side,  on  their  stomachs,  under  a  night  sky.</p>
<p>Steve  heard  Thor  crawl  their  way  and  knocked  his  partners  boot  with  his  own  to  get  her  attention.  Which  led  the  red  head  to  look  left,  which  was  around  the  time  that  Thor  belly  crawled  up  her  way,  sandwiching  her  between  the  two  blonde  Alpha’s.</p>
<p>“Why  don’t  you  go  get  some  rest  Romanov?  I’ll  take  your  watch.”</p>
<p>Never  one  to  turn  down  a  powernap  on  a  mission,  she  patted  his  wrist  and  began  to  wiggle  backwards.  </p>
<p>“Ok  boys…be  good…I’ll  set  my  alarm  for  four  and  come  back.”</p>
<p>Was  it  Thor’s  time  to  participate  in  surveillance?  </p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>Did  he  have  ulterior  motives?</p>
<p>Absolutely.</p>
<p>Of  course,  he  asked  what  the  alien  smugglers  had  been  up  to  and  once  he  was  caught  up,  he  made  polite  inquiries  about  the  team  and  what  all  was  going  on  in  the  compound.</p>
<p>Eventually  after  enough  had  time  passed,  but  no  more,  Thor  folded  his  arms  beneath  his  chin  like  Steve  had  done.  “So  what  is  it  like?”</p>
<p>Last  Steve  remembered,  Thor  had  been  asking  about  the  food  in  the  compound.  So  naturally  he  assumed  Thor  was  still  on  topic.  </p>
<p>“It’s  ok.  Pepper  hired  several  chefs  so  the  food’s  really  good  four  days  out  of  the  week.  I’m  not  a  fan  of  the  young  chef.  He  makes  some  odd  food  mixtures.  Before  I  left,  he  made  a  pork  meatball  thing  with  zucchini  noodles  in  a  soy  sauce  with  nuts  and  oranges  and  fried  bananas…but  Wanda  called  them  something  else.  I  ate  it.  But  it…eh…”</p>
<p>That  did  sound  odd,  but  wasn’t  what  Thor  was  asking  about.</p>
<p>“No  my  friend,”  Thor  replied  softly  as  he  watched  the  thieves  that  he’d  followed  to  Earth.  “Your  Omega.”</p>
<p>This  led  Steve  to  glance  up  for  the  first  time  in  hours.</p>
<p>Noticing  this  but  keeping  his  gaze  on  the  warehouse,  Thor  elaborated.  “The  witch  says  you  have  found  your  True  Mate.”</p>
<p>A  noise  came  from  the  captain.  He  looked  back  at  the  building.</p>
<p>“Back  home…Asgardians  seek  to  find  their  True  Mates  as  soon  as  our  True  Selves  are  revealed.  I’ve  never  met  anyone  who  has  been  so  fortunate.  What  is  it  like?  Is  it  true  that  you  can  feel  your  Omega  when  apart?”</p>
<p>Steve  fidgeted,  uncomfortable  for  the  first  time  in  hours.</p>
<p>“That’s  kinda  personal  Thor.”</p>
<p>“Forgive  me,  of  course,”  came  in  response  and  not  long  after  that  came,  “Is  it  true  you’re  able  to  knot  outside  of  your  rut?”</p>
<p>Unsure  which  question  was  worse,  Steve  longed  for  Natasha  to  come  back.</p>
<p>He  was  also  incredibly  grateful  it  was  one  in  the  morning  and  his  flaming  cheeks  weren’t  visible.</p>
<p>“Thor!”</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>It  was  then,  that  Steve  realized,  he  probably  was  not  going  to  get  out  of  this  conversation  with  the  God  of  Thunder.  Thus,  leading  him  to  clear  his  throat  and  rub  the  back  of  his  neck.  “Yes…I  can  feel  her…it’s  not  something  I  can  explain,  it’s  just  something  that  I  know.”  Just  saying  those  words  were  hard,  it  was  about  as  far  as  he  could  go  in  talking  about  you.</p>
<p>A  noise  came  from  Thor  that  Steve  dreaded.</p>
<p>An  intake  of  breath,  as  if  to  speak  again.</p>
<p>“We’re  not  talking  about  my  sex  life.”</p>
<p>And  then,  there  was  a  stretch  of  silence.  </p>
<p>Blissful  silence  Steve  would  have  called  it.</p>
<p>Thor  found  himself  wondering  where  to  go  from  there.  He  had  questions,  so  many  questions.  Steve  was  acting  downright  squirrely.  Sex  questions  were  apparently  a  big  no.  He  was  downright  evasive  when  discussing  his  Omega.</p>
<p>If  it  had  been  Tony,  Thor  would  have  had  answers  to  every  question  he  had,  plus  more.</p>
<p>“When  did  you  know  that  your  current  Omega  was  your  True  Mate?”</p>
<p>For  a  second  or  two,  Steve  wondered  if  he  should  just  go  on  into  the  damn  warehouse,  capture  the  thieves  and  hope  the  buyers  showed  up  in  the  morning.  If  he  had  to  give  an  answer,  he  couldn’t  narrow  down  when  he  knew.  He  still  wasn’t  even  sure  if  he  believed  in  the  whole  thing.  Perhaps  what  stuck  most  with  him  was  the  immediate  answer  that  popped  into  his  head.  It  had  popped  up  there  before,  but  wasn’t  something  that  he  wanted  to  think  about.</p>
<p>If  True  Mates  were  a  thing  and  everyone  got  one,  then  his  life  was  always  destined  for  the  future,  he  was  always  fated  to  go  in  the  ice.  Or  was  it  all  a  fluke  and  he  just  was  never  meant  to  find  his  one  True  Mate?</p>
<p>It  was  enough  to  give  him  a  headache.</p>
<p>“Look  Thor…I  don’t  know  if  that  is  what  we  are…”</p>
<p>Totally  perplexed,  Thor  watched  his  friend  squirm  and  was  at  a  loss.  “What  is  there  to  know?  It  is  a  beautiful  thing,  if  you  have  indeed  found  your  perfect  match  in  which  to  spend  the  rest  of  your  lives  together.  What  is  bothering  you?  Is  it  that  she  belonged  to  another  first?”</p>
<p>“What?  No!”  It  just  slipped  out  and  Steve  found  himself  intentionally  needing  to  calm  himself  down,  so  he  didn’t  give  away  their  position.  “No…that  doesn’t  bother  me.  I  just  don’t  like  the  idea  of  our  lives  being  that…I  don’t  want  to  think  of  something  happening  to  me  and  her  dying  shortly  after,  because  she’s  unable  to  live  without  me.”</p>
<p>“You  are  putting  far  too  much  thought  into  it.”  Thor  assured  his  friend,  finding  his  words  both  touching  and  absurd.  Earthlings  thought  far  too  much  about  their  own  mortality  in  his  opinion.  “If  something  were  to  happen  to  your  Omega,  would  you  be  able  to  go  on  and  find  another?”</p>
<p>“No…never,”  came  from  Captain  Rogers,  softening  his  tone  just  a  smidge.</p>
<p>He  hoped  that  perhaps  Steve  was  warming  up.  He  sounded  like  he  was  coming  around.  Not  wanting  to  risk  bringing  up  the  knot  discussion  again,  should  Steve  decide  to  stop  talking,  not  that  Thor  could  understand  why.  He  would  have  gladly  discussed  his  own  knotting,  if  their  positions  had  been  changed.  Thor  took  another  direction.  “How  is  it  your  Omega  is  not  pregnant  like  Tony’s?  Your  virility  should  have  increased.” </p>
<p>Grateful  that  his  knot  hadn’t  been  brought  back  up,  Steve  slowly  settled  again,  rested  his  chin  on  his  folded  arms.  “When  she  was  in  heat,  I  wore  a  condom.”</p>
<p>Unable  to  even  wrap  his  head  around  that  as  both  a  God,  a  man  and  an  Alpha,  Thor  could  not  even,  “Why?”</p>
<p>So  far,  every  time  he  had  to  answer  that  question,  it  hadn’t  gone  too  well.</p>
<p>But  if  anyone  would  understand,  it  might  have  been  Thor.</p>
<p>Steve  wanted  to  be  selfish.  Steve  didn’t  want  to  share  you  with  anyone  just  yet.</p>
<p>“I  didn’t  grow  up  like  you  Thor.  I  never  had  anything  that  was  just  mine.  Everything  I  ever  had,  or  knew,  had  always  been  taken  from  me.  Now,  I  just  want  to  spend  every  moment  I  can  with  my  Omega  and  just  my  Omega.  I’ve  only  just  found  her.”</p>
<p>Steve  was  right.  Thor  didn’t  grow  up  like  him,  or  understand  what  that  was  like.</p>
<p>But  Steve  was  also  right,  Thor  did  understand.</p>
<p>Thor  chuckled,  he  could  understand  the  good  captains  desires.  He  hoped  to  one  day  be  as  lucky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For  the  next  three  nights,  you  had  the  same  dream.  </p>
<p>It  began  as  the  same  nightmare,  but  wound  up  with  Steve  in  that  old  dated  apartment,  with  him  clearly  before  he  had  the  serum  and  wearing  a  rumpled  baggy  suit.</p>
<p>Each  time  your  dream  would  go  a  little  more,  a  little  further,  but  was  always  interrupted  by  Pepper</p>
<p>On  the  third  night  it  was  no  different.  You  were  woken  up  at  four  thirty  am  to  Pepper  shaking  you,  demanding  that  you  get  up,  that  you  needed  to  go  into  the  city  with  her  to  buy  things  for  the  nursery.  Which  led  to  you  and  Happy  spending  the  day  with  the  pregnant  Omega,  going  to  every  baby  shop  in  Manhattan  and  two  on  the  way  home.  </p>
<p>And  that  led  you  to  your  current  predicament,  with  what  the  Beta  Happy  had  begun  to  refer  to  as  ‘Satan’s  Crib.’</p>
<p>Now  you  were  not  totally  sure  why  Pepper  had  the  sudden  urge  to  nest  and  get  the  nursery  done  as  soon  as  possible,  like  yesterday,  but  you  knew  better  than  to  argue  with  a  pregnant  Omega.  As  she  hurried  around  the  top  floor  apartment  trying  to  pick  out  paint  samples  for  the  nursery,  you  told  Happy  in  no  uncertain  terms.</p>
<p>“I  don’t  think  those  directions  are  right.”</p>
<p>The  two  of  you  were  on  hour  four  of  crib  construction  duty.</p>
<p>You’d  drank  half  a  bottle  of  champagne  and  were  surrounded  by  pieces  of  crib.  And  according  to  the  directions,  which  included  pictures,  Satan’s  Crib  was  supposed  to  go  up  within  an  hour.  According  to  those  pictures,  everyone  was  supposed  to  be  smiling.</p>
<p>Happy  eyed  the  directions  closely,  as  if  he  could  find  the  nuclear  codes  in  there  somewhere.</p>
<p>His  jacket  was  off.  His  tie  was  around  your  neck.  </p>
<p>Happy  grabbed  your  bottle  of  champagne  to  take  a  sip.  Before  so  he  told  you,  “They’re  in  English.  I  don’t  understand  a  word  of  it…but  they’re  in  English…”</p>
<p>None  of  the  parts  seemed  to  go  together,  match  up,  or  fit  correctly.  Yet  they  were  the  correct  ones  if  the  directions  could  be  believed.</p>
<p>With  grabby  hands,  you  took  your  bottle  back  after  he’d  taken  a  healthy  swig.  </p>
<p>His  two  previous  beers  hadn’t  seemed  to  help.  Maybe  some  bubbly  would  do  the  trick?  Being  sober  hadn’t  helped  at  all,  so  you  were  giving  buzzed  a  solid  try  now.  It’d  been  over  a  year  since  you’d  had  anything  to  drink.  Clearly  there  was  no  better  time  and  you  could  crash  in  Pepper’s  closet.  Plus,  you  were  secretly  hoping  to  finish  your  dream.  That  one  you’d  been  having  every  night  that  Steve  had  been  away  so  far.</p>
<p>“I  mean  really…between  the  two  of  us…we  should  be  able  to  figure  this  out,”  he  went  on,  flipping  to  the  next  page  while  you  took  another  hearty  sip  from  the  bottle.  When  you  lowered  the  bottle  and  kicked  your  feet  out  in  front  of  you,  stretching  out,  Happy  threw  the  twenty-two-page  manual  aside.  “Ok!  I  have  a  plan!”</p>
<p>You  needed  another  sip  of  champagne.  It  was  making  you  thirsty.  “We’re  gonna  take  it  back  and  ask  for  the  floor  model?”</p>
<p>Upon  hearing  your  words,  Happy  pursed  his  lips  to  the  side,  “That’s  actually  a  much  better  plan  than  mine.”</p>
<p>You  raised  your  champagne  bottle  up  in  a  toast.</p>
<p>In  doing  so,  you  noticed  something  that  you  hadn’t  before,  as  Happy  reached  for  the  box  that  Satan’s  Crib  had  come  in.  “Hold  on…lemme  look  at  this  picture  again…”</p>
<p>Up,  in  the  doorway,  you  could  have  sworn  was  your  Bondmate,  unless  the  warm  fuzzy  buzz  you  were  working  on  was  wrong.</p>
<p>Nope,  you  were  almost  positive  that  was  him.</p>
<p>“I  think  Captain  Rogers  is  here,”  you  announced  to  Happy.</p>
<p>Steve  wasn’t  going  to  even  pretend  he  was  happy.</p>
<p>They’d  gotten  back  a  day  early  and  he’d  been  hoping  to  spend  a  nice  night  in  your  apartment  with  you.  However,  upon  getting  into  the  Compound,  he’d  been  unable  to  find  you,  or  reach  you.  Then  he’d  been  forced  to  follow  Tony  upstairs,  when  all  Tony  could  get  was  a  busy  signal  on  both  of  Pepper’s  phones.</p>
<p>Both  men  had  returned  to  a  penthouse  full  of  bags  and  boxes.  One  half  hysterical  pregnant  Omega,  convinced  six  months  was  not  nearly  long  enough  to  get  ready  for  a  pup.  Plus,  a  Beta  and  Omega,  slightly  buzzed,  in  a  disaster  of  a  nursery,  surrounded  by  what  looked  like  an  explosion  of  parts.</p>
<p>Steve  was  not  amused.</p>
<p>However,  he  couldn’t  exactly  be  upset.  You  clearly  weren’t  in  your  right  mind.  </p>
<p>Watching  you  drink  champagne  straight  from  the  bottle  explained  why  he  was  having  a  hard  time  focusing  in  on  you.  He  wasn’t  too  thrilled  to  see  the  tie  that  belonged  to  the  Beta  around  your  neck.  Your  shoes  were  missing.  All  you  seemed  to  have  on  were  a  pair  of  denim  cutoffs  and  a  baggy  black  t-shirt.  Said  shirt  exposing  straps  of  your  cheetah  print  bra,  none  of  which  Happy  seemed  to  notice.  He  genuinely  seemed  more  interested  in  solving  the  complex  mystery  of  the  easy  to  assemble  crib.</p>
<p>When  it  looked  like  you  were  going  to  take  another  sip,  Steve  took  action.  </p>
<p>Carefully  stepping  around  all  the  parts  spread  out  on  the  floor,  he  grabbed  the  bottle  from  your  hand.  “And  that’s  enough  of  that…”</p>
<p>In  absolute  seriousness,  you  looked  him  right  in  the  eye.  “Pepper  said  we  had  to  get  the  crib  done  before  the  baby  comes.  Between  you  and  me…I  don’t  think  that’s  going  to  happen…but  don’t  tell  Pepper  I  told  you  that.”</p>
<p>When  you  held  your  finger  to  your  lips,  Steve  knew  for  a  fact  his  night  plans  went  right  down  the  drain.</p>
<p>Happy  sighed  loudly  at  the  box.  “I’m  gonna  need  another  beer…”  Happy  then  looked  up  to  see  Steve  pulling  you  to  your  feet.  “Hey  Steve!  When’d  you  get  here?  You  wanna  beer?  How’s  the  champagne  levels?  Tony’s  got  a  whole  case  in  in  the  pantry.”</p>
<p>More  champagne  sounded  good  to  you.  “I’ll  need  another  bottle  to  finish  that  crib…”  </p>
<p>And  then  Steve  had  lifted  you  up  over  his  shoulder,  so  done.</p>
<p>“Goodnight  Happy,”  he  said  in  no  uncertain  terms.  Terms  that  you  couldn’t  quite  wrap  your  fuzzy  brain  around.  </p>
<p>From  up  on  his  shoulder  you  motioned  to  Happy.  Never  having  been  tossed  around  so  easily  in  your  life.  Honestly,  you  found  a  small  thrill  in  it,  unless  you  counted  that  time  you  went  to  Florida  and  Disney  World  on  all  the  rides.  Not  that  the  rides  smelled  anywhere  as  good  as  your  Bondmate.</p>
<p>Your  hands  slid  down,  dug  into  the  muscular  planes  of  his  back,  as  Happy  grew  smaller.  </p>
<p>Failing  miserably,  you  attempted  to  whisper  loudly  so  Steve  wouldn’t  hear.  “Happy!  Happy!  Send  a  bottle  down  to  my  room!”</p>
<p>And  then  Happy  and  the  in-progress  nursery  were  gone.</p>
<p>Your  attention  shifted.  “Steve…Steve…you  gotta  put  me  down.  I  ate  a  big  dinner.”</p>
<p>As  Steve  wound  his  way  through  the  far  larger  apartment,  hearing  sounds  of  Stark  doing  his  very  best  to  calm  his  Omega,  he  asked,  “You  gonna  be  sick?”</p>
<p>Were  you  going  to  be  sick?</p>
<p>You  had  to  think  about  it.</p>
<p>Your  fingers  continued  to  dig  into  his  shirt.  “No…I  don’t  want  to  hurt  your  arm.  I  ate  two  orders  of  wings.”</p>
<p>Steve  couldn’t  help  but  roll  his  eyes.</p>
<p>Quickly  as  he  could,  he  got  out  of  the  top  floor  apartment.  Steve  could  have  taken  the  elevator  down  to  your  floor.  But  not  wanting  to  wait,  he  instead  took  the  stairs  which  would  have  been  much  quicker.  </p>
<p>“You  were  in  my  dreams…”  you  announced.</p>
<p>Steve  was  only  sort  of  paying  attention  as  he  bounced  down  each  step,  arm  banded  over  your  thighs,  a  hand  pressed  against  your  shorts  to  keep  you  safely  in  place.  Shorts  that  had  ridden  up.  He  could  hardly  help  it  if  his  hand  cupped  one  perfect  ass  cheek.  It  was  about  as  much  action  as  he  was  going  to  get  and  he  was  salty.  So  maybe  he  kept  his  hand  there  longer  then  was  necessary,  when  he  bumped  the  door  to  your  floor  open  with  his  hip.   </p>
<p>“Well…it  was  sorta  you,  you  were  way  smaller  and  we  were  somewhere  else…there  was  like  no  electricity.  You  were  really  cute  though.”</p>
<p>Pondering  your  ramblings,  Steve  walked  to  your  door  and  entered  the  code  on  the  keypad,  easily  getting  in  the  space  that  smelled  like  the  two  of  you.  It  always  seemed  to  relax  him  no  matter  what  had  gone  on.  When  he  stepped  inside,  he  was  careful  not  to  smack  your  head  on  anything.  “Oh  yeah?  You  were  dreaming  of  me  before  I  had  the  serum?”</p>
<p>With  his  foot,  he  shut  the  door,  then  kicked  off  both  his  shoes.</p>
<p>You  continued  to  ramble  as  his  eyes  looked  over  all  the  bags  from  your  day.  Clearly,  you’d  been  shopping  too.  A  pile  of  dirty  clothes  was  on  the  floor,  which  in  a  way  made  him  feel  better.  You  hadn’t  been  running  around  Manhattan  with  your  bra  and  cleavage  on  display  for  all,  those  legs  he  loved  wrapped  around  him  exposed.  It  was  bad  enough  Happy  got  to  see  you  the  way  only  he  got  to  see  you.</p>
<p>“Well…I  mean…you  didn’t  mention  a  serum…but  each  time  my  dream  was  a  nightmare.  You  know  the  one…where  they  come  and  take  me  from  my  bed…”</p>
<p>“Yeah  I  know  the  one,”  Steve  chimed  in,  heading  towards  the  kitchen  for  a  bottle  or  two  of  water  to  get  in  you.</p>
<p>“Any-Penny-Saver…instead  of  getting  dragged  out  of  bed  like  usual,  I  fell  outta  bed  and  then…then  I  was  out  of  my  room  with  you  and  we  were  running…”</p>
<p>A  noise  came  from  Steve  at  the  change  in  your  dream.</p>
<p>He  found  a  new  pack  of  Fiji  Water  on  your  little  kitchen  table.  One  handed,  he  made  quick  work  of  the  plastic  wrapping  and  grabbed  two  bottles.</p>
<p>“…the  next  thing  I  knew  we  were  in  this  old  brick  apartment.”</p>
<p>Though  he  said  nothing,  he  couldn’t  help  but  think  it  sounded  a  lot  like  the  apartment  he  had  before  he  got  the  serum,  where  he  lived  with  his  mom,  till  she  died.  Which  was  weird,  since  he’d  never  talked  about  it  with  you.</p>
<p>You  continued  to  go  on  about  how  in  your  dream  the  two  of  you  would  either  play  cards,  watch  the  neighbors  out  the  window,  or  he’d  make  you  a  cup  of  tea.  You  sounded  downright  bummed  when  you  mentioned  Pepper  waking  you  up  before  anything  fun  could  happen.  Which  was  right  around  the  time  Steve  tossed  you  down  on  the  big  nest  in  the  bedroom,  making  you  shriek  and  bounce.</p>
<p>As  he  thought  about  your  dream,  which  was  full  of  information  he  didn’t  share,  he  cracked  open  a  bottle  of  water.  </p>
<p>You  made  grabby  hands  for  the  bottle.</p>
<p>He  wasn’t  about  that  and  held  the  bottle  out  of  your  grasp,  motioning  for  you  to  come  forth,  closer.  Which  in  your  state  did  not  take  much  convincing.  It  took  longer  for  you  to  get  up  on  your  knees  and  waddle  to  the  edge  of  the  nest.</p>
<p>“You  and  Pepper  have  fun  today?”</p>
<p>Again  you  reached  for  the  bottle,  which  he  handed  over.  Only  so  he  could  reach  out  to  remove  Happy’s  tie  that  hung  loosely  around  your  neck,  down  between  the  swells  of  your  breasts.</p>
<p>Enthusiastically,  you  nodded  at  thoughts  of  your  day  in  the  city.</p>
<p>You  took  a  big  sip.  Eyed  the  swells  of  his  massive  frame  through  his  soft  t-shirt.  When  you’d  taken  your  sips,  Steve  told  you,  using  that  Tone  of  his  you  couldn’t  help  but  obey.  “Drink  more  Omega.  Half  that  bottle.”</p>
<p>You  may  have  rolled  your  eyes,  but  your  body  listened.  On  your  knees  you  drank  more  while  he  loosened  the  tie,  easily  tugging  it  from  you  and  tossing  it  away.  Once  it  was  away,  he  rested  the  back  of  his  hand  against  the  warm  hollow  of  your  throat.</p>
<p>What  was  it  with  you  and  men’s  clothing?  </p>
<p>Taking  a  break  from  sipping  all  the  water,  per  your  Alpha’s  instruction,  you  breathed  deeply  and  gripped  the  bottle  of  water.  “God  I  love  you.  You  know  I  love  you,  right?”</p>
<p>His  eyebrows  went  up.</p>
<p>You  hadn’t  come  even  close  to  saying  those  words  to  him.</p>
<p>It  put  a  little  smile  on  his  face,  “Yeah?”</p>
<p>Again,  more  enthusiastic  nodding,  another  big  gulp  of  Fiji  water.  “Yeah…I  love  you  so  much  it  hurts.  But  I  can’t  say  those  words  when  I  haven’t  had  a  glass  of  champagne.”</p>
<p>Steve  was  willing  to  bet  you’d  had  more  than  a  glass  of  bubbly.</p>
<p>Or  however  many  glasses  were  in  over  half  a  bottle.</p>
<p>You  couldn’t  have  looked  cuter,  holding  the  bottle  with  both  hands,  downing  as  much  water  as  you  could  for  him.  Swaying  back  and  forth  on  your  knees,  bouncing  around  to  a  tune  only  you  could  hear.  Steve  found  himself  reaching  to  pull  the  clip  from  your  hair  so  it  fell  down.  “Why’s  that  Omega?”</p>
<p>With  a  loud  pop,  you  pulled  the  bottle  from  your  lips.</p>
<p>And  he  then  was  at  half-mast.</p>
<p>Once  he  got  you  to  sleep  and  tucked  in,  he  was  going  to  have  to  take  another  shower  and  jerk  off.</p>
<p>An  annoyed  noise  came  from  you.  “I  told  you  about  my  ex?  Right?  Why  we  broke  up?”</p>
<p>“Vividly,”  was  the  only  response  he  could  come  up  with  on  the  spot.</p>
<p>You  gestured  with  the  bottle  of  water,  splashing  it  a  bit  on  your  nest.  “That’s  what  I  told  that  dumbass…when  he  was  jumping  out  the  window.  I  was  all  ‘don’t  leave  me,  please,  I  love  you’  ugh…I  hope  he  broke  his  stupid  leg  when  he  landed  in  the  yard.”  The  mother  of  all  eyerolls  then  came  from  you.  You  pointed  at  him  with  the  bottle,  totally  not  noticing  how  stiff  Steve  had  become,  how  much  he’d  paled.  “Promise  not  to  wake  me  up  in  the  morning?  I  wanna  see  if  I  have  my  dream  again.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.  I  promise,”  was  all  he  could  come  up  with  at  that  moment  in  time.</p>
<p>He  thought  about  what  Thor  said.  He  was  putting  too  much  thought  into  it.  Any  time  that  he  had  with  you  was  a  gift,  precious.  Whether  going  into  the  ice  was  a  fluke,  or  fate,  didn’t  matter.  Even  if  you  were  buzzed  from  champagne  and  he  was  going  to  be  uncomfortable  all  night.  He’d  found  a  perfect  match.</p>
<p>“I  love  you  too  Omega.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>::Thank  you  for  reading  my  story  and  all  your  amazing  comments!::  </p>
<p>I struggled  with  this  last  chapter  and  spent  a  couple  days  letting  it  sit,  as  it  was  originally  far  too  long.  Which  leads  me  to  the  realization  that  Alpha  Steve  is  just  too  interesting,  and  I  need  to  write  a  little  about  him.  So  in  a  few  days  I'll  post  the  first  chapter  in  his  story,  the  next  part  in  this  work.  Because  Tony  and  Pepper  need  a  wedding...I  have  some  ideas  for  Steve  and  the  Alpha/Omega  themes  are  just  too  much  fun  to  not  explore  further.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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